The Lady and the Pirate's Son
by Miss Sofie
Summary: COMPLETE! As Jack moves to Port Royal to work for Will Turner, he meets his father for the first time and - to Jack's big regret - he turns out to be a pirate.
1. A New Life

Hello guys, and welcome to my story! I worked really hard on it so far, and I hope you like it. No one has read it yet but me, so I have absolutely no idea of what people will think of it. If you like it, I'll continue – if you don't like it, I'll leave it at the few chapters I've already written.

English is not my native language, and I did not live in the 17th century, so there may be lots of mistakes. Ignore them, if you like, or let me know so I can correct them. Thanks!

Anyway, enjoy!

Oh, by the way, I'm uploading the first three chapters at a time, so there won't be any comments to chapter two and three.

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**Chapter One**

Jack Clarence lifted up the two trunks that contained most of his and his mother's belongings. With one last, melancholy look at the ship, which had carried them to Port Royal, he followed his mother, Belle Clarence, down the gangway to their new life.

Jack had recently had a letter from the good blacksmith, William Turner, requesting him to come to work for him, as the latter's old master had died, and Will Turner needed someone to help him. The departure from Jacob Town had been rather rushed, as Will Turner wanted Jack to come in time for him to get to know the smithy before he would marry his fiancée and have a couple of days off with her.

And so Jack went to Port Royal with his mother, hoping that their lives would improve there. They had never had much of an income, though Belle worked as a waitress and Jack as a blacksmith, but they had still managed to live decently, at least after Jack had grown old enough to work as well. His father had been gone since sometime before Jack's birth, and he had a feeling that his mother had never really known his father. He kept it to himself, but though her mother had never told him this, he knew that she had earned some of her money by keeping men company, and he had a feeling that he had come into the world that way. He loved Belle all the same, and no one in Jacob Town had ever mentioned her former profession, after Jack had grown old and strong enough to defend her and himself.

"Mr. Clarence?" A male voice shouted through the noise from the crowd leaving the ship. Jack saw a young man with a big hat and nicer clothes that Jack had ever had, fight his way towards him.

"Mr. Turner?" Jack asked, surprised that his new employer was so young.

"Mr. Clarence!" Will said again. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Come, let me take your bags." 

He gave Jack a rather odd look before taking one of the bags from his hand.

"Thank you." Jack said and took his mother's back in the now free hand. "This is my mother, Belle Clarence." He said introducing the two of them.

"Nice to meet you, Madam." Will said with a bow. "I'm sorry I had to make you give up what you came from to come here, but I have just the perfect place for you to stay, and I'm sure you'll love your new house."

Jack already liked this young, agreeable man, who cared about both his and his mother's well-being. They had never had a house before, and though it was probably just some ramshackle, little cottage in the worst slum of the town (if there was any slum in Port Royal at all), their new home would undoubtedly be better than the last. And he had even thought he'd have to go search for a place to stay at once, but that wouldn't be necessary now. Thanks to Will Turner.

After a short walk they arrived at the smithy and to Jack and his mother's big surprise, Will showed them into the house that was supposed to belong to the owner of the smithy. From outside the house looked small and cosy. It was a half-timbered house with thatched roof, and the light pink hollyhocks under the small windows made it look very homely. It was not big inside either, but it was clean and light and in good repair. Apart from some furniture – quite a lot, actually – it was empty and ready for them to move into.

"But wouldn't this be your house, Mr. Turner?" Jack asked taking a look around. It was definitely too nice to be their new home.

"It was, yes, but Elizabeth… Miss Swann, my fiancée, and I will be moving into our own house after our wedding, and I have already moved there in order to have this to give to you, as long as you work for me."

"Well, but thank you, Mr. Turner." Belle said beamingly. "But are you sure it will be okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Will answered. "Now if you'd please excuse me. I'll call back in an hour. In the meantime I'll be in the smithy, if there's anything you need. Please make yourself at home."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Turner." Jack replied. "It is very kind of you."

"It is the least I can do now that I made you leave your home in a rush like that. I hope and believe that you will feel at home soon."

With a nod at Jack and a bow at Belle Will left the house to the two of them to get settled, and soon they were absorbed in inspecting the house. 

It was, as they had expected, in perfect repair, and it was quite unbelievable to both of them that this was to be their home from now on. However, when Will came back one hour later, they had stuffed their belongings into their new, rightful places, and they had reached to freshen up a bit after the journey.

Will had changed clothes when he arrived again, and apparently he had been working.

"I apologize for my clothes, Mrs. Clarence, but I've been doing some work." Will said apologetically, but Belle shook her head.

"Nonsense, Mr. Turner. Don't apologize to me because of your clothes!" She said with a smile at him.

They rarely met anyone as polite as Will, and Jack couldn't help smiling. He had called his mother 'Mrs. Clarence', though she had never been married. But Will, of course, didn't know that.

They went to the smithy so Jack could see where he was to spend most of his time in the future. It was a rather big place, bigger than what Jack had been used to, and the equipment there looked newer and smarter done. He already looked forward to beginning his work. There were lots and lots of swords and cutlasses, and they were all very nicely made and shaped. It seemed as if Will had a kind of passion for swords.

"You like swords?" Jack asked raising an eyebrow. He himself was quite good at fighting with them, though he never did so. He only practiced fighting. There had never been any need to fight, only once, when a man had threatened his mother in the tavern she worked in. Then he had drawn hi sword and made the man fight him in the street. Nothing had happened, though, as the man had chickened out and run away. Jack was glad he had done so, because he wouldn't have liked to hurt – or worse – to kill the man.

"Yes, I admit I do so." Will answered and took down one of his swords. "And I like fighting with them, though I do not want you to think that I am a barbarian."

"So does my Jack." Belle said. "And he is no barbarian either."

"Is that so?" Will asked with new interest. "Well, I hope then, Mr. Clarence, that you will practice with me some time."

"Ah, most certainly!" Jack replied. "I would like that very much."

He had feared there would be no time for pleasure in this new job of his, but Will Turner didn't appear to be the kind of guy who wouldn't allow his worker time for that. And with this suggestion of his, there would already be taken care of at least one of Jack's hobbies.

~

During the next few days Jack learned a lot about Port Royal and the villagers of it. He met Will's fiancée, Elizabeth Swann, who turned out to be the daughter of the governor. It surprised him that a high-class-lady like her would marry a blacksmith, but apparently their story went years back, and contained more than one almost fatal incident. Just what had happened he didn't find out. No one had time to tell him because of the upcoming wedding, but Elizabeth promised to tell him once everything was back to normal. She was a very sweet and beautiful lady, and she spoke no hard words to him, though he was very far from her league. There was no snobbery about her at all, and after a few days Jack almost felt that she and Will, in spite of the latter's status as his employer, had become very good friends of his.

He met the governor as well as he some times paid a visit to the smithy. He was, after all, Will's future father-in-law. He never seemed to like his visits there, though.

Jack's impression of him was far from the impression he had of Elizabeth. Father and daughter, no matter how much they still loved each other, were as different from each other as the day is from the night. Jack soon learned that Governor Swann did not approve of this marriage between his only daughter and the blacksmith, but he, of course, didn't say anything about it directly. 

Commodore Norrington was another one of the villagers that Jack met soon after his arrival at Port Royal. He came to the smithy quite often to talk to Will about new swords to his men. However, Jack had a feeling that he disliked Will, in spite of his very polite ways. It wasn't anything he said, it was more the way he said things. For some odd reason Jack thought that Commodore Norrington didn't like _him_ either, though they had never met before, and Jack had been polite from the very start. Most of the time it seemed that Elizabeth was the only one that the Commodore really wanted to talk to, but it was probably just because she was a lady and the Governor's daughter, he figured.

One day, as Commodore Norrington had called on Will, but not found him present, he looked at Jack for a long while before he spoke.

"Tell me, Mr. Clarence, who was your father?"

Jack, who was mending a sword with a hammer, accidentally hit his fingers, surprised as he was at this straight forward question.

"My father?" He asked not sure if what he had heard was what the Commodore had said.

"Yes, your father!" Commodore Norrington sighed.

"I've never had a father." Jack said not continuing his work. He didn't like talking about it.

"Yes, I thought so." The Commodore said rather coolly. "I wouldn't believe that churl to actually stick to one woman, even though she had his son!"

"What do you mean, sir?" Jack said perplexed. "Did you know my father?"

"No, one can hardly say I knew him!" The Commodore said on his way towards the exit.

"But you knew who he was?" Jack said raising his voice, but the Commodore just walked out the door with no further look at him. "Wait!" Jack shouted, but when he reached the door, Norrington had gone. 

Puzzled, Jack went back to his work. He wanted more than ever to go ask his mother about his father, but he didn't. There was work to be taken care of, and he was a conscientious man. He would have to ask later. Then he could also ask Will or Elizabeth about the Commodore's strange behaviour. However, he forgot to do so, as there was so much to be done the next couple of days.

~

On the day of Will and Elizabeth's wedding, Jack did all the work in the smithy himself. He started very early, so he would be able to escort his mother to the church later. Not because she needed it, but he, too, wanted to see the couple, when they had been wed. He knew they probably wouldn't see him in the crowd, as the whole of Port Royal – and probably people from outside the town as well – would be there. The Governor's daughter would only get married once, and everybody wanted to watch. Jack just wanted to congratulate them, as he counted them among his friends now. He knew that his status was still very much below theirs, but they never let him feel so. He was sure they wouldn't mind him being there to congratulate them, _if _they'd notice him at all.

He was lost in his thoughts as a deep voice snatched him back to reality.

"You're not Will Turner!" It said giving Jack a start. He hadn't heard anyone come into the smithy.

When he turned around he saw an odd-looking fellow almost his own height watching him. The man had long, black hair with beads in different colours dangling from braids in it, and from his beard there hung two braids, though not with beads. The beard and his moustache were almost as dark as the lines around his eyes. It looked as if he had painted his eyes with kohl, and he wore a kind of angry expression on his face.

"Who are you?" Jack asked demandingly but also slightly frightened. The man didn't look too friendly. He looked like a pirate.

"Who am I? No, who are you? You sure look familiar."

"If you would be so kind as to answer my question…" Jack didn't finish. The man was right. There was something familiar about him, too. They must've met before.

The man chuckled, but he didn't reply.

"Now, what are you doing in Will Turner's smithy? And where is the good man?"

"William Turner is to marry his fiancée, Miss Swann, today, and he won't be…"

"Yes, yes, I know the names." The man sighed and rolled his eyes. "But where_ is_ he?"

"I shall not tell you unless you give me your name."

"Well, then you can call me…Smithy!"

"I warn you…!" Jack said and threatened the man with the sword he was forging. 

He shouldn't have.

The man drew his own sword before Jack had a chance to do anything, and within a second he pointed it towards Jack's throat. The latter put down his own sword.

"Now, if you'd please be so kind as to tell me," The man mocked, "where to find Will Turner and the fair Miss Swann!" His frown made his eyebrows point towards his nose, just like Jack's always did, whenever something wouldn't go his way. 

"I don't know." Jack replied feeling his palms and forehead get sweaty. "Miss Swann is probably getting ready at the Governor's residence and Will…Mr. Turner…I suppose, is at his own home, getting ready. But that is only a guess."

The man didn't reach to reply, as a female voice interrupted them.

"Jack!" Belle exclaimed in something that sounded more like surprise than fear.

The man turned around without withdrawing his sword, and Jack turned his head slightly to look at his mother.

"Belle!" the man exclaimed, obviously surprised.

"You know him?" Jack asked his mother in disbelief.

"What? You know each other?" The man said looking puzzled back at Jack.

"Would you please put down that sword?!" Belle said harshly, apparently not afraid of the pirate. To Jack's big surprise he obeyed and lowered his sword.

"Why, thank you!" Jack said sarcastically, then he continued in a frustrated voice: "By all means, how do you know this…man, mother?"

"I knew him once, though it was a long time ago." She said tiredly. "But he left…"

"Belle, luv!" The man said walking towards her with open arms. He swayed slightly as he did so. "Ye know I'd come back!"

In stead of accepting his open arms, she slapped his face as he reached her. He stopped dead, frowning at this unexpected action of hers.

"I didn't deserve that." He mumbled rubbing his cheek.

"Hell you did!" Belle shouted angrily. Jack never heard her use any such expression, so he knew she really meant it. "Is this what you call 'come back'? After 21 years? You left me when I was pregnant, 21 years ago, and all you have to say is 'You knew I'd come back'?! You're right! You didn't deserve a slap in the face! You deserved more than one. You deserved…"

"Alright!" The man interrupted her and moved a little away, as she and her hand had come closer again. "So I did go away, but I had every intention of coming back. And I never knew you were pregnant. So, where's the kid?"

Like all of a sudden, Jack felt like he was the one who had been slapped in the face. This man – this _pirate _– was his father!


	2. An Unexpected Encounter

**Chapter Two**

Catherine Winston, 19 years of age and a real lady, walked down the dry, soiled, dark brown road that wound from her family's estate and down to the Governor's, and her best friend Elizabeth's, mansion. From here it went straight into the centre of Port Royal, flanked by houses all the way. In the beginning the houses were big and impressive with large gardens and plenty of servants, but by the end of the road they were small and made of wood, had no gardens and no servants. They were the homes of the lower class people, but Catherine rarely went as far as to the wooden houses. Not because she disliked the poor or the working-class, but it wasn't safe for a lady like herself to wander there.

The sun shone brightly and the wind, if there was any, wasn't strong enough to lift the big leaves of the dark, green palm trees even an inch. The air was heavy, kind of electric, and it was one of those days, on which you almost expect something bad, or at least upsetting, to happen. Catherine didn't, though. Her best friend was getting married today, and the weather seemed to cooperate, as the party would be held in the Governor's garden afterwards. It would've been fatal if it had been rainy, because there would be so many guests that even the Governor's home would be too small to house them all.

As Catherine approached the iron gate to the mansion, she decided to walk a little further. She was early, and she knew she'd only make Elizabeth feel that she was late if she showed up already. She was going to be a bride's maid, but she was not expected for at least another thirty minutes.

She walked on, though she knew her father wouldn't appreciate it. He always complained about her walking around on her own. It wasn't suitable for a young lady to walk around the town without a companion. But as her best friend was now getting married, she would have to do a lot of wandering around on her own. Elizabeth wouldn't have much time for her now, she knew that, and though she was happy that she and Will Turner had finally admitted that they loved each other, she was kind of sad to lose her friend. Alright, so she wouldn't lose her for real. And she had got a new friend through her. Will Turner was a sweet and handsome young man, and he was never the slightest bit rude. Though he was a blacksmith, he was one of the few men that Catherine's father didn't mind her seeing. But of course, he was engaged to Elizabeth, and so their connection was of quite another sort than if he hadn't been.

"Good day, Miss Winston!" A male voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw Commodore Norrington giving her a nod and a smile. He stopped.

"Good day, Commodore Norrington." She replied and smiled back at him. "What a nice day it is today." She could think of nothing but the weather to talk to him about.

"Indeed, Miss Winston. It is such a fine day for a wedding, don't you agree?"

"It is." She replied with a smile. The Commodore was always so kind and polite. He was another one of the few men that her father did not mind her talking to. In fact, he wanted the two of them to be acquainted a little too much for Catherine's like.

"Well, I suppose I shall see you again later this afternoon." The Commodore said with a bow. "Till then… Good day, Miss."

"Good day to you too, Commodore." Catherine replied and waited for him to pass before she moved on. She looked at him just long enough to see him turn around and look back at her. What a shame the good man had not yet found a lady to marry. Catherine knew that he had once asked Elizabeth to be his wife, and she had said yes. It was only to save her true love, Will Turner, from being murdered, though, and in the end she had turned down the Commodore's offer of marriage. Catherine felt sorry for the man, but she knew that Elizabeth had done the right thing. She had been in love with Will as long as Catherine remembered. However, Elizabeth had not known her feelings for him until she thought she was losing him.

Catherine passed Will's smithy and heard voices from inside it. It was kind of odd, as Will was not supposed to be there. Was that new worker of his talking to himself? Elizabeth had told her his name, but she didn't remember.

It sounded as if people were quarrelling in there, and though Catherine knew she shouldn't listen, her curiosity made her walk to the door and stand still, trying to listen to the words. As she couldn't hear them properly, she gave the wooden door a very vague push, but it accidentally opened wide. Just like anything Will owned the door was in a perfect condition. It didn't stick at all! He had surely done a lot to the smithy since the old blacksmith, Mr. Brown, had died. Catherine silently cursed Will's perfectionism!

No one had noticed her, though, and undisturbed she quickly recognized one of the men. With his white – and a little dirty – shirt hanging loose under the gray waistcoat on his half-naked chest, and the old, brown boots on the outside of his once black pants, there was no chance of mistaking him. He was Captain Sparrow, Elizabeth and Will's friend. The man who had saved both of their lives when the evil pirate, Barbossa, had kidnapped first Elizabeth and then Will. Of course Catherine was glad that her life had never been in danger, but somehow she couldn't help but slightly envy Elizabeth. At least something happened in her life! And she had been alone on an island with Captain Sparrow! That would have to be any girl's dream, though Elizabeth kept saying Catherine was crazy for thinking so. He was a pirate and no lady's dream!

Catherine had only met him twice before, and each time only very briefly. However, she had not failed to notice the muscles swelling underneath his shirt, nor had she failed to see the twinkle in his eye when he looked at her, kissing her hand and sending shivers through her body. 

Okay, so maybe she didn't know him that well, but she knew that he was gorgeous. Life would be so interesting if shared with him. He always seemed to be on some kind of adventure or another. Catherine would so love to go on an adventure!

A yell from the other man in the smithy made her mind concentrate on the scene in front of her.

"He is _not_ my father!" The young man said angrily with a stern look at a woman that Catherine hadn't noticed before. "He's a pirate, mother!"

"Yes, and your father, Jack." The woman replied somewhat annoyed.

Jack? Oh, so he was the new blacksmith Will had employed. He was quite good-looking, actually. Catherine chuckled at her own ability to think about the man's looks at a moment like this, but she did. He was a bit taller than Captain Sparrow, but they were built the same way. His hair was just as dark as the pirate's, but he wore no braids in it. It wasn't long enough for that, but it was long enough to fall into his eyes now and again, and he kept shaking his head slightly once in a while to get the hair out of his eyes. They were dark and handsome and looked a lot like Captain Sparrow's. Catherine suddenly realized just how much the two men resembled each other, though it was obvious to tell which one of them was younger.

"Are you telling me, this kid is my son?" Captain Sparrow asked in a sneer and put up a face that expressed both disbelief and disgust.

"Yes, Jack. I'm telling you that he is your son."

"Jack? His name is Jack?" The young man almost shrieked. "You… You named me…" He didn't finish his sentence.

"You named him after me." Captain Sparrow said thoughtfully. Then he broke into a wide smile. "And I… I have a kid named after me. If that ain't something…!"

The young man was just about to reply as he noticed Catherine standing by the door. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words died before they got out. Captain Sparrow and the woman turned around to see what had caught his attention, and there was nowhere Catherine could possibly hide now. She just looked down, pretending to be minding her own business. 

"Ah, Catherine!" Captain Sparrow said with amusement in his voice. She blushed as he spoke her first name. No man ever did that, except for her father and her younger brother.

"How have ye been, luv?" Catherine blushed even more. Captain Sparrow called her 'love'!

He walked towards her with his arms wide open, just as he had done to Belle.

"Don't you dare touch her!" The young Jack warned readying his sword. "She's obviously a lady, so keep your filthy pirate's hands off of her!"

Catherine looked at him with admiration in her eyes. She wasn't afraid of Captain Sparrow, and she did not mind him getting closer, but it was kind of sweet of the young Jack to try to defend her, just because she was a lady.

He returned her look and his face softened a bit. She was really beautiful. Her brown hair was hanging loose, curling slightly. Her eyes were green, Jack could tell even from a distance, and her light pink lips curled into a small and timid smile that would melt even the darkest of hearts, he was sure. Now what was it about her that made him feel so poetic? She hadn't even spoken yet.

"Hello, Captain Sparrow." Catherine said moving her gaze back at the pirate. "I see you've come to join us at the wedding, am I right?"

"'Course you are. I love weddings!"

"And you're not afraid that Commodore Norrington will try to catch you?" Catherine more stated this admiringly than actually asking.

"Captain Jack Sparrow? Afraid of Norrington? Have ye had too much rum?"

"No, Captain…" Catherine said and looked down a bit embarrassed. "I don't drink." 

She knew that Captain Sparrow did. A lot. But that fact she ignored in her fascination of him.

"Ah, what a shame." The Captain said and gave a sad pout. Catherine didn't notice as her eyes wandered back to the young Jack. She was waiting for an introduction, but she knew that a pirate probably wouldn't think of that. However, well-behaved as she was, she felt she could hardly speak to the young man that she hadn't been introduced to. Maybe to the woman, but definitely not to the man.

"What's going on in here?" A male voice asked and before turning around, Catherine noticed the displeased expression on Captain Sparrow's face. It could only be…

"Commodore Norrington!" She exclaimed very surprised to see him there as she had just met him walking away from the smithy. Furthermore, she hadn't heard him coming, so she had a mild shock at the sound of the voice right behind her.

"I am sorry if I scared you, Miss Winston, but I see you associate with pirates. I assume, of course, you didn't know he was a pirate."

"You can hardly say she associates with pirates." The young Jack said now getting all eyes on him. "At least not willingly. She did nothing to seek his company."

"Mr. Clarence, you obviously don't know Miss Winston. If you did, you'd know she can speak for herself!" Came the Commodore's dry reply. "Have you not been introduced yet?"

"No, Commodore, we haven't." Catherine said noticing a figure in the corner of her eye trying to back away without being noticed.

"Well, then…" Commodore Norrington began. "Miss Winston…" He stiffened and put a hand to his sword. Catherine followed the dart of his eyes to where Captain Sparrow had just been.

"Don't think you can get away from me this time, Sparrow!" The Commodore yelled drawing his sword. He followed Captain Sparrow cautiously, leaving the others breathless.

Oh God, please let him get away! Catherine prayed silently. She couldn't stand the thought of the pirate being hanged in the morning. Or anytime at all. He just had to get away!

Neither Catherine, Jack nor Belle saw what happened next. Captain Sparrow and the Commodore were obviously fighting with their swords somewhere in another room. A few seconds later they came back, Captain Sparrow with his back first, apparently having a hard time fighting the Commodore.

One quick movement from the latter, and the Captain's head was very close to being cut off.

"Jack!" Catherine and Belle shrieked in fear at the same time. They both cared too much about the pirate to see him get caught.

"Ladies!" Captain Sparrow replied with a big smile. But he said no further as the Commodore pointed his sword at Captain Sparrow's neck. Just like the Captain had done to the young Jack a few moments ago.

"Please, Commodore! Not today! Not on Miss Swann's wedding day!" Catherine exclaimed lifting up her skirts and walking over to the two men. "You know he's a friend of hers and Will Turner's. They'd be devastated if you hanged him. What kind of wedding would that be?"

"They wouldn't have to know until tomorrow, would they?" Commodore Norrington asked with an enquiring look at Catherine.

"Please, Commodore, _please. _I would still know about it and it would make me feel really unwell."

"But Miss Winston…" The Commodore sighed. He hesitated for a moment. "Very well, then. I shall let him go today. But if he comes anywhere near the wedding, I swear I shall hunt him down and hang him tomorrow morning!"

As he said this he turned to look at Captain Sparrow again to make sure he understood the conditions as well. His eyes didn't find what they were looking for, though. Captain Jack Sparrow had disappeared!


	3. The Dance

Okay, so maybe one, short comment, though I said I wouldn't...

Just want to say that I do not know if the throw-rice-at-newly-wed-couples tradition existed in the 17th century. In this story it does. 

Read on and let me know what you think! 

- Miss Sofie

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**Chapter Three**

Catherine hurried back to Elizabeth's place, escorted by Commodore Norrington. He had insisted on making sure that she got there safely. He did not like the thought of young women walking around on their own, when Captain Sparrow was in town, he said.

"Thank you, Commodore." Catherine said on their approach to the gate. "I think I'll be safe enough from here." She said removing her arm from his. "Thank you for caring about my safety."

"My pleasure, Miss Winston." Commodore Norrington replied not leaving her side. "I'll walk you in, if you don't mind."

"No. No, of course not." Catherine answered not entirely honest. She did mind him walking with her all the way. She didn't want anyone to think that she had entered into any sort of agreement with the Commodore. Their walking together might very well make people talk.

As they called at the door, Governor Swann himself came to open it.

"Commodore Norrington!" He said in surprise. "And Miss Winston!"

"Good day, sir." The Commodore said politely. "I took the liberty to escort Miss Winston to your house, as a very unwelcome guest is in town."

"And may I enquire on whom that may be?" The Governor asked. Small pearls of sweat were running from his wig and down his forehead. Suddenly Catherine was glad she was a lady. She wouldn't like to have to wear a wig every day. Not in this heat. And the heat was unbelievingly unbearable today. She felt a bit faint and spread out her fan to get a little air. It didn't help much.

"Jack Sparrow!" Commodore Norrington spat the words and gave Catherine a start.

The Governor's face turned pale, and Catherine saw another pearl of sweat run down his forehead.

"Hang him!" He suddenly said in a high-pitched voice. "Hang the dirty pirate!"

"Governor Swann!" Catherine exclaimed widening her eyes. She was not shocked at his choice of words (she was used to her brother, who could be a lot worse than that), but she did not like the way he talked about Captain Sparrow.

"I'm sorry, Miss Winston. You shouldn't have to hear this. Elizabeth is waiting for you in her room." He gave a quick glance at a maid standing by the door, waiting for his commands. "Would you please show Miss Winston to…"

"I know the way!" Catherine cut him off and grabbed her skirt and hurried up the stairs. She couldn't breathe. She had to get away. Just before disappearing upstairs she stopped and looked at the Commodore. Both men were watching her in astonishment, as her actions had been rather furious.

"Oh, and thank you, Commodore, for walking me here." She said trying to sound polite. Commodore Norrington made a little bow and Catherine left.

~

"Catherine! Good you're here!" Elizabeth exclaimed on seeing her best friend in the doorway, still holding on to her skirts. She didn't notice the somewhat heated expression on her face or the pink colour of her cheeks. 

Catherine decided not to say anything to Elizabeth now. She was nervous enough about the wedding, and there was no need to tell her about Captain Sparrow. It would only let her down, if she knew her savior and good friend was in great danger of being hanged – his own fault or not.

"Where were you?" Elizabeth said a little reproachfully. Then she smiled and lowered her voice. "I heard you came here with Commodore Norrington."

"No I… Yes, I did." Catherine sighed. "But only because he insisted on escorting me."

"So it's you now. The Commodore is in love with you, Catherine."

"No, he's not. Elizabeth, you know he's still in love with you."

"He is?" Elizabeth said raising an eye-brow. "Then why does he always speak of you, when you're not there?"

"He really does that?" Catherine asked with a frown. She really didn't need that. "He ought not to talk about me when I'm not there."

"Come on, Cathy!" Elizabeth said with a role of her eyes. "We talk about him now, and he's not here. What's wrong with that? Now, help me with the veil. I want you to be the one to place it on my head."

Catherine carefully placed the veil on Elizabeth's head, sewing it into her hair. She covered the string with small, white flowers made of fabric and stepped back to admire her work.

Elizabeth looked so perfect in Catherine's eyes. Her white gown was, of course, the newest fashion among brides in London, and it had been shipped with several other dresses to reach Elizabeth in time for her to choose one and have a tailor make the adjustments that would make it fit her perfectly. It did. It looked splendid on her, and once again Catherine felt a little envious of her friend. She knew she shouldn't, but she did.

Anyway, it was Elizabeth's big day, and Catherine shoved away the thoughts. She wasn't going to ruin Elizabeth's day by being gloomy and sulky.

~

Jack and his mother arrived just in time to see Will and Elizabeth Turner come out of the church. They were both smiling widely, as people threw grains of rice over them. The small place outside the church was filled with people, who had not been invited to the wedding, and Jack began to think it would be impossible to congratulate them at this time. Every time he tried to get through the masses, someone or another would block his way. Not on purpose, of course, but he couldn't get through. Suddenly his eyes stuck on something behind Elizabeth. It was that girl again. Miss Winston. She was obviously a bride's maid, wearing a white dress, which was a plainer copy of Elizabeth's wedding dress. She had flowers in her hair that had now been dressed beautifully, and the sight took his breath away for a while. She suddenly looked straight at him, and he saw her mouth turn into a small, recognizing smile. He was unable to smile back. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't move.

 "Mr. Clarence?" Jack didn't reply. He simply didn't realize anyone was talking to him.

"Mr. Clarence?" The voice said again. "Jack?"

Jack blinked a couple of times and looked at Elizabeth, who was addressing him.

"Oh, sorry, Miss Swann… I mean, Mrs. Turner." He said and bowed. "And congratulations! I hope you'll be very happy."

"Oh, I know we will, and thank you." Elizabeth smiled. "You haven't met my friend, Catherine Winston, have you?"

Catherine, who had walked a little behind Elizabeth, moved a little closer.

"We've met, but I'm afraid we haven't been introduced yet." Jack said eyeing Catherine again.

"Well, Catherine, I want you to meet Mr. Clarence, the new blacksmith."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Clarence." Catherine said.

"My pleasure." Jack replied and took her hand. He planted a soft kiss on it and looked her in the eyes again.

Catherine's heart did a little somersault. His dark eyes reminded her so much of Captain Sparrow's. 

Elizabeth looked questioningly at her for a while, but then her attention was wanted elsewhere.

"Please, excuse me." Elizabeth said with a significant look at Catherine and Jack. Catherine knew Elizabeth well enough to know that she thought they would be a good match.

Jack didn't know Elizabeth that well, but he did notice the look he sent them. It could only mean one thing. Catherine wasn't spoken for!

"Miss Winston, I hope you were not too offended by the pirate's way of addressing you this morning." Jack said trying to start a conversation.

"Oh. I wasn't. I mean, he shouldn't have said…" She knew she blushed, and it made her voice tremble. "I mean, he's a friend of Elizabeth and Will's… I mean, of Mr. and Mrs. Turner, and I've met him before, so I knew what he was like… He's…"

"A friend of Will and Elizabeth's?" Jack asked disbelievingly. "A pirate?"

"Yes…" Catherine began. "It's a little complicated. He saved their lives, and the Commodore wants to hang him. Not because he saved their lives, of course. That was probably what saved his own life in the first place, but the Commodore…" Catherine paused to take a breath. "The Commodore has to at least try to catch him, though he's a good man. Captain Sparrow, I mean. Your father. He's a good man. I heard that you do not know him."

Catherine was afraid she had said too much. She knew her father would've scolded her, if he had been listening, but fortunately, he and her mother had moved on to the Governor's garden already. Elizabeth would just have told her not to worry.

"No, I do not know my father." Jack said a little harshly. He didn't mean to snap at Catherine, though. He still hadn't really taken in the fact that his father was alive and a pirate. "And forgive me, Miss Winston, but a pirate cannot be a good man."

"You sound exactly like Will!" Catherine smiled. "I mean, Mr. Turner, of course." She corrected herself. "But Captain Sparrow _is _a good man. Your father is a good man."

"Ah, listen to the lass!" A voice suddenly interrupted their conversation, and there he was, Captain Sparrow, grinning at them so his golden teeth were revealed. "Now, son, have ye found yourself a girl?" He put a hand on Jack's shoulder with a face expressing amusement and…was it pride?

Catherine felt slightly disappointed. She didn't want Captain Sparrow to think that his son would be a good match for her. She wanted him to think that he, Captain Sparrow, would be her match.

"Just because I bear your name it doesn't mean I'm your son!" Jack spat shaking the pirate's hand off of his shoulder.

"Gees, mate!" Captain Sparrow said with a frown. He opened his mouth again to say something, but he was cut off by Commodore Norrington.

"Well, well, well… What have we got here?!" The Commodore's voice sounded, as he held his sword against Captain Sparrow's neck. Catherine felt faint. This wasn't happening. _This wasn't happening!_

"Commodore!" Captain Sparrow exclaimed mockingly. "What a surprise to see _you _here!"

"If only I could say the same!" The Commodore replied coolly. "I thought I told you not to show up here today. You do not value your life much, do you? But then of course, neither do we!"

A few soldiers who had followed Commodore Norrington laughed at this remark. Captain Sparrow looked as if he was about to send a clot of spit into the Commodore's face, but he didn't. He wasn't stupid. Reckless, maybe, but not stupid.

Catherine was scared, and she felt faint. It made her think of a trick Elizabeth had once played in order to save Captain Sparrow's life. Why couldn't she do the same?

Right when Catherine was about to pretend to pass out, Elizabeth's voice stopped her from doing so.

"Please, Commodore Norrington. It's my wedding day. And Jack Sparrow is a friend of mine."

"But he's a pirate, Miss Swann." The Commodore replied taking his eyes off of his enemy for a split second, then returning them. He probably still remembered what had happened that morning, when he had been looking at Catherine for too long.

"And a good man, as we have told you before." Elizabeth said a little severely.

The Commodore's eyes flickered for a moment. Then he sighed.

"Alright, Miss Swann. But if I see as much as his shadow today, I _will_ hang him."

"Of course you will." Elizabeth said pleased. "And it's Mrs. Turner, now. Now, would you be so kind as to walk with Miss Winston? I think her father and brother already left, and we couldn't have her walking alone, could we?"

"I'd be happy to, Mrs. Turner." The Commodore replied and removed his sword from Captain Sparrow's neck. The latter disappeared before anyone reached to see whereto. 

Commodore Norrington offered Catherine his arm, and she accepted politely. She did shoot Elizabeth a complaining look, though, but she didn't see it. She was talking to Jack Clarence again. Catherine didn't hear what about, though, as Commodore Norrington began walking and made her follow.

~

Jack was very happy that Elizabeth had asked him and his mother to come to the wedding, though they hadn't had a proper invitation before. When Jack had said that he had to go back to work, Will had cut into the conversation by saying that the forge could be left to itself for a couple of hours. As they had assured Jack that they wanted his and his mother's company at the party, he had accepted and looked longingly after Catherine, who was walking off with Commodore Norrington. They looked good together, he had to admit that. And there was no way he would ever be able to compete with the Commodore.

The garden was filled with ladies and gentlemen, and Jack was glad he had dressed the best he could. He almost looked like one of them. Almost. Still no one talked to him.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Clarence?" He heard a voice and turned around. There she was. Catherine. He had been looking for her, anxious because he couldn't see her anywhere. His heart skipped a beat as her eyes, framed by long, dark eye-lashes, looked into his.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Winston." Jack replied a little perplexed. "And you? How do you feel?" He looked away. He hadn't meant to ask how she felt. Only if she was enjoying herself.

"I feel perfectly well, thank you." She replied with a chuckle. Jack felt the blood run way too fast into his cheeks. "I'd just wish there was more shade here. The sun is so cruel today."

"Let's go into the shade, then, shall we?" Jack said offering her his arm. She willingly took it and they moved out of the sun.

"You know, Mr. Clarence, I'm really glad I've met you." Catherine said when they were a little away from the others. In the shadow Jack could not see which expression was on her face, and he didn't know if she was making fun of him.

"I'm glad I've met you too, Miss Winston." He replied politely.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said realizing her own mistake. "I'm sorry for being so bold. It's just that Elizabeth is my best friend, and now she's married and I won't see her very much and this town isn't exactly filled with people at my age, and…"

Jack had stopped listening. Not because he was bored, and he _tried _to listen, but he couldn't. The movements of her soft, light pink lips, when she spoke, seemed like going in slow-motion to Jack. It took all the power he had to resist taking her in his arms and kissing those lips. But why? He didn't know her. He had only just met her this morning. Why did he feel the urge to hold her, to touch her, to let his fingers run through her hair, to kiss her…

"Mr. Clarence, are you listening to me at all?" Catherine asked with an amused smile.

"Oh. Sorry, Miss. I'm not a very good listener." Jack said sheepishly and inspected his feet. Would he ever learn not to get carried away like that? Besides, she was meant for the Commodore. He had to get her out of his mind.

"Maybe you are, Mr. Clarence. At least, you don't interrupt the one who's talking." As soon as Catherine had spoken the words, she knew she shouldn't have. It was very rude, and though she hadn't meant any harm by saying it, she knew it was wrong to speak that way to anyone. The only ones she could speak that way to were Elizabeth and her brother. They knew what she meant, because they knew each other so well. She couldn't exactly speak that way to someone, who had been a total stranger to her only a few hours ago.

Jack looked questioningly at her. He wasn't sure what she meant. Was she mad at him for not listening, or was she only joking? He hadn't meant to be rude, when he stopped listening. He knew he probably had been, though.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Clarence." Catherine said and looked truly sorry. "I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean to be rude in any way." She grabbed her skirt and walked away, embarrassed and humiliated, but it was her own fault. She knew that.

"Miss Winston! Wait!" Jack said and followed her. "I don't think you were rude."

Catherine stopped and blinked. The sun felt even stronger than before they went into the shadows.

"You don't?" She asked quietly. His dark eyes looked at her from behind some hair that kept falling into his eyes. Catherine smiled at his failed attempt to puff it away, before he shook his head to get rid of the hair that way in stead.

"I don't. Now, don't run away like that, okay? I promise I'll listen if you promise not to run away."

Catherine was about to say something when her heart made a somersault. Without noticing she took a grip of Jack's arm, looking at something behind him. He turned around to have a look, and to his great disappointment he saw the pirate, Captain Sparrow, making his way through the party to Will and Elizabeth.

Catherine and Jack watched intensely, as he sneaked in on Elizabeth and put his hand over her mouth so no one would hear her scream in surprise. She looked very frightened at first, but then she seemed to recognize the hand over her mouth and the arm holding her. As she relaxed, Captain Sparrow removed his hand, and she turned around to face him. He was smiling widely as he gave her a piece of cloth with something in it.

Elizabeth opened the present and froze. Neither Catherine nor Jack could see what was inside the cloth, but whatever it was it scared Elizabeth and made her face turn pale.

"You just haven't done that, Jack!" Elizabeth finally exclaimed, causing most of the party to turn around and look at her. 

Will came up to his bride to see what was happening, and as he saw Captain Sparrow his face turned into a wide smile and he shook the man's hand. Then he saw the present, which Elizabeth was holding up with a shocked expression on her face.

Catherine saw it too, now. It was a medallion. A golden medallion. From a distance it looked exactly like the one Elizabeth had carried until last year, when she had found out it was cursed. Indirectly, it had almost killed her and Will, and no one had ever thought they should see it again. It could only mean one thing – that Captain Sparrow had stolen it and thereby cursed himself. It meant trouble.

The story had, of course, traveled around Port Royal and so everybody knew the medallion by now. A couple of ladies screamed when they saw Elizabeth holding it up, and most people backed away. Commodore Norrington didn't. He walked resolutely towards Captain Sparrow, who was obviously entertained by the scene his present had caused. The Commodore didn't say a word, and Elizabeth, who was looking straight at him, didn't say a word either. Catherine could tell from the look on her face that she wanted to warn Captain Sparrow, but she was still too shocked to speak.

Just when Commodore Norrington was about to lay his hand on the pirate, the latter turned around drawing out his sword and pointing it at the Commodore's chest. He looked furious, but from the distance it was impossible to hear what he said. The Commodore replied something, and for a few seconds Captain Sparrow looked as if he was ready to press his sword through him. He didn't. In stead he turned around and ran. In spite of his age he was still quite fast, Catherine thought in admiration, as he came right towards her and Jack. The soldiers followed, but he was too quick for them.

He stopped before Catherine just long enough to whisper: "Don't worry 'bout me, luv. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" Then he ran on with a grin and a shake of his head which made all the beads in his hair swing from side to side.

Catherine and Jack watched in astonishment, as he disappeared out of the gate, followed by the Commodore and most of his men.

~

In the evening the musicians stroke up a dance. The party had calmed down after the commotion caused by the medallion, and everyone was happy and cheery. Well, everyone except Catherine, maybe. She hadn't heard anything about Captain Sparrow nor Commodore Norrington, and she was afraid the pirate had been caught. Furthermore, she was bored. Jack and his mother had left the party early. They had not been among the proper guests, and Jack had had to go back to work. Catherine thought it a great loss for the party, especially as his handsome features reminded her of Captain Sparrow.

As people started dancing, Catherine thought that she could as well go home. She knew it wasn't very polite, but if it hadn't been for Elizabeth (and maybe Jack, a little) she wouldn't have stayed so long. There was no one left for her to dance with, and none of the old men and women (people at her parents' age) ever talked to her. She knew she could've just walked up to anyone she wanted to talk to, and they would have kindly kept a conversation going with her. She just didn't feel like it. It would all just be part of the etiquette, and it wouldn't make her feel any better.

"Would you care to dance, Miss Winston?" Commodore Norrington enquired politely.

"Commodore!" Catherine exclaimed nervously. Was he in a good mood or a bad? If he was in a good mood, he had definitely caught Captain Sparrow. "I didn't know you had come back!"

"I came back a few minutes ago." The Commodore replied taking Catherine's hand. She didn't like the smile on his face. He looked far too happy.

"So…" She said trying to calm herself down. "Did you catch him?" She stopped breathing until the Commodore replied.

"No, I'm afraid we did not."

Catherine sighed deeply.

"We're letting him be…for the moment."

"Oh. I'm…sorry to hear that." Catherine lied afraid her smile would betray her true feelings on the matter.

"Yes…" The Commodore said looking thoughtful. "So am I. But let us not dwell on such a sad topic." He sent Catherine a rather shy smile. "Let's dance, shall we?"

And with that he led Catherine on to the open-air dance floor. 

As the tune ended the Commodore obviously wanted to dance to the next one again. With Catherine. She said yes, polite as she was, but she didn't really want to. The Commodore took his hand in his again and laid his other hand on her waist. Just when they were about to start dancing again, someone tapped on the Commodore's shoulder. It was Jack.

"I think this dance is mine." He said and bowed to Catherine. The Commodore let go of her reluctantly and left the dance floor with a scowl at Jack. 

"You came back!" Catherine stated cheerfully and took Jack's hand in hers. 

"Couldn't waste the opportunity to dance with a beautiful lady, could I?"

Catherine smiled in reply and looked into his dark eyes, as they danced. She had forgotten all about the Commodore and – for a moment – Captain Sparrow.


	4. Help Me

Okay, so finally an update. Chapters may be updated several at a time from now on, but not so often. My stupid, stupid, STUPID internet company closed down my connection before they were supposed to, so I can only update at my father's job until the new connection's up and running. I shall try to update as often as possible anyway, but right now I don't know how often that'll be. Sorry.

Anyway, I love reviews. Just thought you should know! ;)

~Miss Sofie.

**---**

**Chapter Four**

Catherine woke up to the sound of her father speaking to someone downstairs. She got up and put on her robe and tiptoed out of her room to listen by the banisters. She recognized the other voice as Commodore Norrington's, and she was positive she heard him speak her name. Her father said something she couldn't hear, and then the two men obviously changed topics.

"So, did you catch him?" She heard her father's voice.

"No, we did not." The Commodore replied. "But we'll set after him in one hour's time, when _the_ _Monarch _has been loaded. The mission may take a few days, so we cannot leave without supplies."

"No. No of course not. I do hope you'll get him this time."

"We will, Mr. Winston. We will."

Catherine's heart sank. They could only be talking about Captain Sparrow, and she knew she couldn't find any more excuses that the ones she and Elizabeth had already used yesterday, to stop them from hunting him. No matter how fond the Commodore might be of her, he would not listen to her reasons. She knew that and she understood. It was his duty to catch pirates. Catherine just wished he wouldn't catch this one.

Something had to be done. She didn't know what, but _something_. She ran back to her room and dressed in a hurry, still not sure where to go and what to do. She didn't take the time to dress her hair or even wash her face, and after making sure that the Commodore had left, she hurried outside without breakfast.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" She heard her father's voice behind her.

"Just need to get some air." She lied and slowed down a bit. There was no need to tell him anything.

"The Commodore came to call on you."

Catherine stopped and turned around to face her father. She breathed heavily and her heart was pounding wildly. Why? Why had he called on her?

"The Commodore? To call on me?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, Catherine. He wanted to speak to you before he left, but I couldn't call you down when you were not yet properly dressed, could I? That's what you get for sleeping your mornings away!"

Catherine didn't reply, so her father went on.

"I expect you to receive an offer of marriage from the Commodore soon. He's taken quite an interest in you lately and that is very wise of him. He won't find another lady of his class in this town, now that Miss Swann is out of the question."

"And you, Father…" Catherine said coolly. "…think I should accept an offer from someone, who wants to marry me because I'm the only one left for him to pick?"

"The Commodore is the most honourable man in the Caribbean. I would be devastated if you turned him down. And so would he, I'm sure. I won't make the decision for you, but think about it, Catherine. It would be a good match."

"It would." Catherine scowled and began walking again. "I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going? You know I don't approve of you walking around on your own."

"It won't be long!" She said with no further explanation and left her father standing puzzled in the court yard.

~

Jack had been working for hours when he thought he'd take a break. He hadn't reached as much as he had planned, as his mind kept wandering back to yesterday. Most of the time he was thinking about Catherine Winston, who had stolen his heart in just one day's time. He thought about the way she looked at him, the way she spoke, the things she said, and the touch of her skin as he held her hand when they danced. Now and again his thoughts returned to the pirate. Though he had difficulties believing it, there was no doubt that Captain Sparrow was his father. His long lost father. He had finally found him. And then he turned out to be a pirate! Jack still wasn't sure if he should feel happy for finally meeting him or disappointed because he was nothing like he had imagined. But then again, he hadn't really imagined anything, had he? He had always believed him to be dead. That's what his mother had always told him.

Jack took a sword and swung it from side to side before him. It felt good to be holding one again. There hadn't been much time for practising the last couple of days, and so he thought he'd try to improve his footwork a little.

He moved slowly in the beginning, and then he quickened his moves. He stepped around faster and swung the sword faster in the air, until he at last swung around to pretend he was stabbing someone, but he didn't get that far.

There she was – in all her beauty – Catherine Winston! Jack thought he was dreaming or having visions, and so he didn't say anything for a while. He just blinked. Not because he wanted her to go away, but because he didn't believe she was really there.

"Mr. Clarence, are you alright?" Catherine finally asked.

"Ehm…" Jack said clearing his throat. "Yes, I'm fine." Her big, dark eyes looked so innocently at him, and her brown curls fell softly on her shoulders. Jack gulped and forced himself not to stare rudely at her.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but…"

"No. No, you're not disturbing anything." Jack said eagerly and felt like an idiot. He could as well have stuck his tongue out and started to drool. She would read him like an open book anyway!

"Well, it's just that…"

"Yes?"

"…I have a problem, and I don't know what to do."

"Well, tell me about it, and I'll see what I can do."  
"But it's about your father."

Oh no! Was she turning to him because she fancied his father and didn't know what to do about it? He really didn't want to hear what was coming.

"Oh. What about him?" Jack heard himself ask anyway.

"Commodore Norrington and his men have set after him. This time the Commodore has promised to catch him, and when he does, he'll hang him."

Catherine looked scared and almost desperate, and Jack could hardly turn the other cheek to that. Besides, Captain Sparrow was, after all, his father, and he hadn't had a chance to get to know him yet.

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it." Jack said and _did_ feel sorry about it.

"But we have to warn him! If they send the entire navy after him, he won't stand a chance!" Catherine exclaimed a little more agitated than she had meant to.

"I'd really wish there was something I could do to help, Miss Winston, but…" Jack sighed. "I can't really see how I could be of any help."

"But he's your father! You can't just watch him get hanged!" Catherine almost shrieked.

"I can't." Jack replied and thought for a moment. "And I won't. But it'd take us a ship and a crew to find him and warn him, and even if we do find him, there's only a small chance that the Commodore hasn't found him first."

"I know, but you'll help me?" Catherine said with pleading eyes.

Jack chuckled. "How can anyone say no to those eyes?!"

"Thank you!" Catherine shrieked and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Let's go find Liz and Will. They'll help too."

Jack followed Catherine in a kind of daze. Had she just kissed his cheek? If for no other reason, at least that kiss was reason enough for him to cooperate. He'd do whatever was necessary to get a kiss on the other cheek as well!

~

It was no problem getting Elizabeth and Will to help. Though they were supposed to be enjoying their new status as husband and wife, they more than willingly agreed to help Catherine and Jack reach Captain Sparrow in time to save him from the gallows. He had, after all, saved their lives before, and he was still a dear friend to them.

"Okay, so we'll need a ship." Jack said when the four of them were looking at maps that Elizabeth had borrowed from her father's office.

"Any man with a ship can be bought…" Catherine replied. "As long as you sweet-talk him and show him a piece of gold."

"Ooh, I didn't know you knew that kind of men, Cathy?!" Elizabeth teased causing Jack's face to darken slightly. "Not to say how to twist them round your little finger!"

Catherine ignored Elizabeth's remark. "Do you still know how to get to Isla de Muerta?"

"I'll remember as long as I live." Will said and let his finger wander over the map from Port Royal and to a spot in the ocean which seemed to be all water.

"Why isn't it on the map?" Jack asked puzzled. Everyone seemed to know something, but him. "And how do you know that's where my father is?"

"Isla de Muerta is an island that no one knew about until last year." Will began. "Well, okay, the crew of _the Black __Pearl_ did. She's your father's ship. Back then she wasn't. The captain, Barbossa, and his crew knew how to find the island, and so did your father. Barbossa kidnapped Elizabeth…" Will shivered before he continued. "…and your father and I set after them. That's why I know the way to the island that doesn't exist on any map. It's there and it's real, so we can find it. I'm not sure if the Commodore can, though."

"But how do you know that's where he is?"

"Remember the medallion that caused so much commotion yesterday?" Catherine asked.

"Yes?" Jack said looking at her from under a frown. 

"It's a piece of Aztec gold that ought to be locked up in a chest on Isla de Muerta. Since Captain Sparrow gave one to Liz, it means that he's been to the island again and that he's opened the chest, God help him. He's probably there now, as the island contains so many treasuries that no one, and least of all your father, can help but to want just a small piece of it."

"You make it sound as if he's a bad person. Yesterday you kept saying he was a good man?"

"He _is_ a good man." Elizabeth answered. "But he's also a pirate."

Jack didn't reply. He was thinking really hard. It was a bit difficult to understand all of this, but his new friends probably knew what they were talking about. He'd just have to trust their feeling about it.

~

Catherine and Elizabeth walked down the jetty looking for a suitable boat or ship for their purpose. There were lots of them, but their owners weren't present. They didn't want to steal one, and so they walked on.

"Wha' are two lasses like ye doin' 'ere?" A foul voice said and the girls immediately turned to the left, from where the voice came. The speaker was a middle-aged man with gray hair and a belly that was enormous from drinking beer through the years.

"Hello my good sir." Elizabeth began. "We desperately need to find a ship that can stand a fast and eventful journey."

She blinked with her long, dark eye-lashes and nudged Catherine's side with an elbow.

"And it is so difficult to find one that is good enough here." Catherine added and repeated Elizabeth's blinking. "Most of the ships here are in a very bad condition."

"Me ship ain't!" The man said with a proud grin and revealed at least four rotten teeth. Catherine felt like screwing up her nose and running away, but she didn't. Elizabeth didn't, either.

"Really?" Elizabeth said a little too happy. "And how much would it cost us, sir, to borrow your fine ship?"

"Oh, I don' rent out me ship. She's way too precious to me."

"That's a real shame." Catherine said with puppy eyes. She made sure the brown bag of money they had brought, was visible behind her back.

The man, whose hair was stuck to his forehead by sweat and dirt, looked greedily at the bag.

"Come to thin' o' it, I don' thin' I need 'er today."

"Really?" Elizabeth said again. "And how much will it cost us to rent your ship for…let's say...three days?"

Catherine held forth the brown bag and made the coins clink a little.

"With that much gold ye can _buy_ 'er. 'Ell, with that much gold ye can buy _me_!" The man stated and reached out for the bag. Catherine almost let him have it, nut then she withdrew it from his reach again.

"Thank you, sir, and please remember you never talked to us." She said. "Not even when spending the money in the tavern, okay?"

"Okay. Right." The man said willing to agree to anything as long as he got the gold. His eyes were still fixed on the bag.

"Well, thank you." Elizabeth said and Catherine finally gave him the gold. He happily walked away clutching the brown bag close to his chest.

The two girls looked at him amusedly. If only everyone was that easy to persuade!

"That was hilarious!" Will said as he and Jack appeared from behind some barrels. "I always knew your could be very persuasive, dear, but I hadn't counted on you getting a ship so fast." He gave Elizabeth a kiss, which made Catherine look away, not wanting to stare. Her eyes found Jack's for a short moment before they hastily moved on to the boat. 

"Are we ever going to get started?" She said as Elizabeth and Will kept flirting and touching each other "accidentally". She really didn't need to watch them do that, while Captain Sparrow was in danger somewhere far away. They had wasted time enough already.

"Most definitely!" Jack replied and took Catherine's hand to help her get onboard the small ship. "If those two can ever break away from each other." He said the last part with a small nod at Will and Elizabeth and a smile at Catherine. The latter blushed slightly, as she had, for some reason, just fantasized about her and Jack being Will and Elizabeth. Oh, for Heaven's sake! He wasn't his father! And it was his father she wanted to save!

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice called them all back to reality. It was Belle. She had walked down the jetty without anyone noticing. It took them all a little aback.

"Erh…No where, Mama." Jack said embarrassed. Why did she have to show up now?

"Aha! Then what are you doing in a ship that isn't yours?"

"We didn't steal it, Mrs. Clarence, if that's what you think." Catherine said and let go of Jack's hand. 

"Then what did you do?" She sounded rather angry and sarcastic. "Buy it?" 

"As a matter of fact, we did." Elizabeth said and let Will help her get onboard.

"And if you'd please excuse us," Will added. "We're very late already."

"I won't excuse you! Late for what?"

"Mama! Just leave it!" Jack said with a face that had turned almost scarlet by now. "I'll tell you when we get back."

"You're _not _going anywhere with two young ladies on a stolen boat!" Belle's face was turning scarlet as well, but not because she was embarrassed. She was furious.

"Please, Mrs. Clarence. Let us go." Catherine said with puppy eyes. It didn't exactly have the effect on Belle that it would've had on her son.

"Alright, but I'm coming with you!" She said and made as if to jump onboard.

"Okay!" Jack exclaimed. He was willing to say anything right now to make his mother leave. "We'll tell you."

"Jack, no!" Catherine tried to whisper. She said it a lot louder than she had meant to, though, and caused Belle to shoot her a perplexed look at the sound of her speaking Jack's first name.

"It's alright." Will said. "As long as we get going. Come onboard and we'll tell you where we're going." He reached out his hand to help Belle, though she seemed to know perfectly well how to board a boat.

Jack sighed. So he would have to deal with his mother watching when he had thought he'd have a lot of time to talk to Catherine alone. He sighed again. He'd just have to hope that his effort in helping to try save his father's life would make her like him just a little bit more. If he couldn't have her, he hoped he could at least stay friends with her. It would be better than not having her at all.


	5. Belle's Story

**Chapter Five**

Jack felt rather useless as the small group left Port Royal. He had never been used to sailing, and he didn't know anything about it. Most of the time he just watched as Will, Elizabeth and Catherine – and even his mother – ran around the ship shouting nautical words at each other and getting the ship out of the harbour and onto the big sea. Once in a while Catherine would tell him how to do this or that and he would feel a little better, but most of the time he just felt like being in the way. But at least he didn't feel seasick!

After a while out in the open, they all sat down to relax except for Will, who stayed by the rudder. The wind was strong and the boat shot through the water like a missile. Catherine's hair flowed around her head, and Jack couldn't help but smile at her continuous attempt to make it stay in place. It was of no use at all. It kept escaping her hands and almost covering her face.

On the way out of the harbour they had explained to Belle, why they had had to leave in such a hurry. When she heard their reasons she softened immediately and promised to do whatever she could to help. She had her doubts, though, that Captain Sparrow would listen to her or any of them. If he knew the Commodore was after him, he'd probably do what he could to let him catch up with him so he could provoke him. Nevertheless, they all agreed to keep trying to find him. 

"So how did you all learn how to sail?" Jack asked after a while. He was surprised to see how good they were at it, and he had never known his mother could sail a ship. It was a piece of information that she had forgot to tell him about for 20 years now, as she definitely hadn't been sailing after his birth.

"Catherine and I have been sailing with my father and the Commodore since we were young children." Elizabeth said. "And Will's been sailing a bit too."

"Yeah, but I wasn't any good at it until last year." Will added. "Your father taught me."

"What about you, Mama? Who taught _you_ how to sail?" Jack asked firmly. "You haven't ever told me you could sail."

"It's a long story…" Belle tried to avoid what was coming.

"We've got time enough!" Jack said not wanting her to get off so easily.

"Well…" Belle began. "Many years ago, when I was around your age, I met a pirate. No, wait. I should begin by telling you that I used to be a pirate."

Jack widened his eyes and opened his mouth. His mother? A pirate?

"You? A pirate?" Catherine asked with eyes just as wide as Jack's.

"Yes. I know you thought I…I used to be a prostitute before you were born, Jack, but that's not all true." Belle continued. "Well, I did, but only for a very short while. Anyway, I was a pirate and sailed under the command of lots of different Captains. I rarely stayed with one crew for more than a couple of months, until I met a young pirate who – just like I did – sailed for different Captains. Jack Sparrow was barely 17 years old and I 19, when we met on the ship we both served at at the time. Though he was young, he was a man of big dreams and a strong will, and I had my dreams too. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life on different ships with different captains and new people around, and so Sparrow and I made friends. We stayed at the ship for a couple of years, as we now both felt we belonged somewhere. It wasn't enough for him, though. He always talked about _The Black Pearl_ and of how much he wanted to be her captain some day. I always laughed at him and told him it was an unattainable dream, but in the end he made me believe it would really happen. We made plans of how he would be the captain and I would be his right hand, and he promised me that one day _the __Pearl_ would be ours. Not his, but _ours_.

By the time he made that promise I had fallen in love with him. I thought he had with me too. That night we were in Jacob Town and Jack Sparrow and I stayed in a room in a small tavern. I know you don't like to hear this, Jack, but I'm not ashamed of what happened though we were not married. I loved him and I knew I wouldn't love any other man for the rest of my life. The next morning he was in an extraordinary good mood and got up early. When I asked him where he was going, he said something that I'll remember as long as I live. He said: "I'll bring back _the __Pearl_for you, my love!" And then he left and…" Belle paused to remove a tear from beneath her eye and gather herself a little.

"…and never came back." Catherine finished thoughtfully and put a comforting hand on Belle's back. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry Mrs. Clarence."

"Ah, don't be sorry." Belle said and tried to smile. "I'm just an old woman who gets carried away easily."

"No, don't say that!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "That was downright despicably done of him!"

"Thanks, dear, but he was a pirate and I should've known. I was silly to think he'd stick to me."

"Do you still love him?" It was the only sound that had come from Jack for a long time. He was looking very pale and a little faint.

Belle looked kind of frightened. "What do you want to know that for?"

"Because he's my father, and he doesn't sound like a very nice man. I just want to know if he is nice enough for you to still love him after all he's done."

"I think…" Belle hesitated. "I think I might still care for him in some odd way, though he doesn't deserve it."

"That's good enough for me." Jack mumbled and looked to the horizon. He felt strange. It was like a heavy load had been removed from his shoulders, though he didn't know why. Somehow, he figured, he felt relieved.

~

"Ship ahead!" Will shouted and hurried to take over the rudder from Elizabeth. "I think it's _the Monarch_."

"It's the one the Commodore's sailing." Catherine explained to Jack whose face expressed that he didn't know what they were talking about.

"Ah…" He said with a small grin as he understood, and tried to shake some hair away from his face. It kept falling back in his eyes and made Catherine chuckle. It looked so sweet when he did that.

"What?" Jack asked puzzled.

"Nothing." Catherine replied still smiling. She felt a butterfly or two rise in her stomach. "I think we might be closing in on both the Commodore and your father."

Then she leant over the rail to have a better look at the ship ahead. It was definitely _the Monarch_.

Like all of a sudden the ship tilted and Jack got to his feet.

"Watch out!" He exclaimed and grabbed Catherine around the waist just in time to save her from falling over board.

She screamed in surprise, but when she realized she was safe she started to laugh.

"Thank you, Mr. Clarence." She laughed. "Thank you for saving my life!" She looked at him with her big, green eyes fixed on his, noticing once again, how much they resembled his father's eyes. She could look into them forever, she was sure.

"My pleasure, Miss Winston." Jack replied. "It would've been a shame to loose you to the sharks, now wouldn't it?"

"I don't know. Would it?" Catherine asked flirtatiously avoiding the look she knew Elizabeth sent her.

"It definitely would." Jack stated and removed his hand from her waist. They were still standing very close as they reached _the Monarch_, but none of them noticed, as Jack was putting a ringlet behind Catherine's ear.

"Ahem…?" Someone coughed slightly and made the two of them part immediately. It was Belle. Catherine noticed how Jack's face turned pink like all of a sudden.

"I hardly think the Commodore would approve of seeing a young lady of Port Royal so close to a blacksmith." Belle said. "And just to your information… He's looking at you through his telescope at this very moment!"

~

"Miss Winston and Miss Swann!" Commodore Norrington said calmly. "I hadn't expected to see the two of you here."

He and a few of his men had left _the Monarch_ to go talk to the group of mostly young people who seemed to be following them.

"It's Mrs. Turner now." Will corrected.

The Commodore ignored him. "What in the world are you doing here? Now don't tell me it's got something to do with the pirate?!"

"They're helping me!" Jack exclaimed taking a step forward to stand beside Catherine. 

"They're helping you? With what, if I may ask?"

"I want to find my father. I've never known him, and I just want to speak to him before you kill him!"

The Commodore chuckled for a moment before he turned serious again. "I'd give you plenty of time to talk to him in his cell before he reaches the gallows!" 

"But Commodore!" Elizabeth interrupted. "You must understand that he saved our lives once, and we can't just watch while you hunt him down and kill him!"

"No, I understand _your_ reasons, Mrs. Turner. What I don't understand is why Miss Winston has agreed to go on such a foolish mission!" He looked straight at Catherine, but the expression on his face was soft. "I always thought you were a sensible girl."

Catherine inspected her feet for a while before she looked back into the Commodore's eyes. "I'm just helping my friends. That's all. Besides…" She forced a smile onto her lips. "There was nothing left for me to do in Port Royal now that everyone, whose company I enjoy, left."

Catherine was very aware of Jack standing close to her side as she kept looking at the Commodore. The latter's smile widened a bit as he looked back at her. Catherine wished, though, that Jack would step in front of her, so she could hide behind him. She felt awful about letting the Commodore believe that she left the town partly because of him. It wasn't true, but it could prove to be a useful reason.

"Miss Winston, may I have a word?" The Commodore asked after a moment of thought causing Catherine to feel faint. That had definitely not been her intention with that remark.

Catherine followed the Commodore to the other end of the small ship, where no one could hear them.

"Miss Winston, I came to call on you before I left Port Royal. Instead I spoke to your father." He began. Catherine was silent. "Did he tell you that?"

"Ehm… Yes." Catherine said aware of the many eyes that were watching them from the other end of the ship.

"Miss Winston, I wanted to…" He hesitated and for a moment Catherine thought about faking a fall just like Elizabeth had done when the Commodore had asked her to marry him. Except Elizabeth hadn't faked it. The Commodore took Catherine's hand and continued. "Catherine, I would be very honoured if you would consent to be my wife."

Catherine was positive her heart stopped beating, and she didn't know how to reply. She was sure the words would be stuck in her throat.

"But… But do you love me?" She finally faltered.

"Yes, I love you, Catherine." Commodore Norrington replied taking both her hands in his. "And I promise I will take good care of you." He was looking at her so intensely that Catherine couldn't avoid lifting her gaze to meet his. Oh no! His eyes were shining so brightly. How could she say no when he obviously wanted it so much?

"I have to…" She gulped. "I have to talk to my father about it."

"He already said yes. As I said, I talked to him before I left."

"You asked _him_ before you asked _me_?" Catherine exclaimed a little offended, though she knew most men would've done that.

"Be mine, Catherine!" The Commodore said ignoring her question. "You would make me the happiest man alive!"

"I'll… I'll think about it. Decisions like that shouldn't be made in a rush. I'll give you my answer when we get back to Port Royal." Catherine said and lifted her skirt. She walked away rapidly leaving a perplexed Commodore behind.

~

"If any of you have any idea of where Sparrow may be, I'd be very glad if you could please tell me." Commodore Norrington said to the four people left on the deck. Catherine hadn't come back. "I'm very eager to get this over and done with, so we can all go home."

"We known nothing more than you do." Jack said not looking at the Commodore. God, he hated him right now. He would take both his father and the girl he fancied away. There was no way he was going to help him.

"Have you been to Isla de Muerta?" Will asked sending Jack a look that told him not to worry.

"No, we haven't." The Commodore answered with a sigh. "And I hardly think he would be there."

"You're probably right." Will said and looked at Jack again. "Then we won't go there, either."

"I'm afraid we can't help you, Commodore." Elizabeth said with a smile, and with that the Commodore and his men left to go back to _the Monarch_.

"They haven't found Isla de Muerta!" Will chuckled and turned to the rudder. "And we're almost there!"

~

Will was right. It only took them around an hour and a half to reach the island, and as they did so, Catherine had come up on the deck again. It was easy to tell she had been crying and Jack wanted more than ever to hold her and comfort her.

"So did he ask you?" Elizabeth more stated than asked.

Catherine nodded. She didn't know what to say.

"It could be worse. He's a good man and he'll take good care of you."

"Yeah, so he said." Catherine said indifferently.

Jack felt as if his insides were turned out. He hated the Commodore even more for making Catherine cry than for asking about her hand.

"But you shouldn't say yes if you don't love him." Elizabeth said watching her friend.

Jack watched Catherine too. If only she would say she didn't!

"I don't…" Catherine said and Jack held his breath. "I don't know." She finished. Jack sighed with disappointment and walked a little away. They had anchored right outside Isla de Muerta, and though _the Black __Pearl_ was nowhere to be seen, they'd better go look for his father anyway.

~

"I do know, though I said I didn't." Catherine said to Elizabeth as they went through the dark tunnel on the island.

"And?" Elizabeth asked watching her steps.

"I don't love him."

"Then it's easy. Don't accept."

"But what if…"

"If what?"

"If no one ever asks me again?"

"I wouldn't worry about that. I know at least one person who'd love to get to kiss you every day for the rest of his life!"

"You do? Who?" Catherine asked naively.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed, Cathy! In spite of the pirate in his blood I'm sure he'd make you very happy!"

Catherine thought about it for a while. Could Elizabeth really be talking about Captain Sparrow? If that was the case, then he could indeed make Catherine very happy!

"Are you coming, ladies?" Will shouted, as the two of them, and Belle, were lacking behind. In fact, Belle was lacking very much behind. Her condition hadn't exactly improved through the years.

"We're right behind you, Will!" Elizabeth shouted back and stumbled over something.

"Look, it's gold!" Catherine exclaimed and took the thing that had been in the way of Elizabeth's foot. "It's a crown!"

The crown was shining with diamonds and pearls and Catherine couldn't' take her eyes off of it.

"There's plenty where it came from." Elizabeth said taking the crown from Catherine's hand and throwing it on the ground. "But the treasuries here are cursed. At least I wouldn't like to take anything with me. Not even a small coin."

"I wasn't planning on taking it." Catherine said and walked on. Suddenly she stopped with an amazed look at the treasuries in front of her. They were standing in a cave and there was gold all over it. There was a small mountain of gold. They _walked_ in gold. It was unbelievable!

"Is the chest open?" Elizabeth asked and walked over to Will and Jack. She didn't seem to care much about the gold.

"No, it's not. And we can't remove the lid." Will replied. "He can't have taken the medallion recently."

"But… Would he walk around being cursed for so long?" Elizabeth asked. "I mean, what's the point for him? Except if he planned to annoy the Commodore so much that he was sure to be killed. If he's cursed the Commodore can't kill him, I know, but it still sounds so unlike Jack. He wouldn't want to miss food and…" She didn't finish her sentence, but Catherine knew what she was thinking. The Captain wouldn't want not to be able to enjoy being with a woman. If he was cursed, he couldn't do that.

"But what if he didn't take it? What if all the pieces are still in the chest?" Will said thoughtfully. "Do you think the piece he gave you…is fake?"

"If it is…I have a bone to pick with him!" Elizabeth replied vindictively. "He's fooled us all!"

Both Catherine and Jack laughed. None of them had ever experienced what it was like to be among cursed people, and so none of them had been very scared. They just thought it fun that Captain Sparrow had played such a trick on everyone.

"It's not funny, Cathy!" Elizabeth complained, but in the end she gave up and laughed a little too.

"Well, as there's nothing more for us to do here, I'd say we'd better head home." Will said, just as Belle finally reached them.

"Oh, no!" She exclaimed with a sigh and sat down. "You'll have to carry me back!"

And so they did. Jack and Will lifted her up and carried her back to the water in spite of her continuous yells and cries for help.

Catherine and Elizabeth followed roaring with laughter.

For a moment Catherine had forgot what was waiting for her when they returned. She'd have to give the Commodore her answer.

---

Sorry 'bout the lack of Jack Sparrow so far. I promise there'll be a lot more of him in the next chapter. There'll be a lot more of everything in the next chapter. Except Commodore Norrington!

Reviews still very welcome!

~ Miss Sofie.


	6. Too Much Rum

Okay, so a little more Jack Sparrow in this chapter, as promised. Guess that's all I've got to say right now. Still can't update as frequently as I would've wanted to, but I hope you'll keep reading anyway.

So, read on and review when you're done, okay?! Thanx!

~ Miss Sofie

---

**Chapter Six**

"I wonder where he might be." Will said thoughtfully looking at no one in particular.

"We all do." Elizabeth said lost in her own thoughts.

"Could he still be in Port Royal?" Catherine asked looking at the two who had just spoken.

"That would be reckless, wouldn't it?" Jack said. "And his ship wasn't there, either."

"He definitely wouldn't stay if _the __Pearl_ didn't." Belle stated. "No, he's not in Port Royal."

"Do you know where he is, Mrs. Clarence?" Catherine asked. Belle was, after all, the one who knew him the best. Or used to know him best. Now no one really knew him.

"I was just thinking… The fact that he played a trick on us all kind of implies that he's having a good time, right? I mean, he has time and energy to do silly things like that just for the fun of it, so he's not busy plundering vessels or towns, right?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said and Catherine nodded.

"Where does he go when he wants to have a good time? Except for weddings in Port Royal?"

"Tortuga!" Will said with realization expressed on his face.

"Of course!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "And we're not far from the town."

"So, we're going to Tortuga now?" Catherine asked a little vexed. She had heard lots of tales about the town from her father (though the man himself had never been there), and they weren't exactly nice ones. For a moment she saw drunken men fighting over a bottle of rum, and unfortunate women trying their luck on the drunken men. She shook the images away and concentrated on sailing. The wind was still strong and they would be in Tortuga soon, if it didn't die. Well, at least it delayed her conversation with the Commodore.

~

"Tortuga, here we come!" Will exclaimed and jumped down onto the jetty. No one came to collect money as they would've done in Port Royal. In fact, the first thing the small party saw after leaving the ship was three men fighting, one of them getting shot.

Catherine let out a cry of horrified surprise and turned to hide her face in Jack's shirt. The latter, who was very close behind her, put an arm around her trying to comfort her.

"Now don't be afraid. Just pretend you don't see it, okay?" He said and breathed in the salty scent of her hair. Though she hadn't been into the water, it was easy to tell from her scent that she had spent more than 24 hours at sea just now. 

"I'm not afraid." Catherine said embarrassed and moved a little away from Jack. "I just don't like to see blood."

"Yeah, right, Cathy!" Elizabeth laughed turning around to look at the couple behind her and Will. "You've never told _me_ you were afraid to see blood!"

Catherine ignored her remark and felt the warmth from Jack's body beside her. It was comforting to know he was there. She _was _afraid, though she wouldn't admit it.

After discovering a couple of fights in the streets and drunken people passing out before them, they reached the tavern that Will said he had once been to with Captain Sparrow. Catherine's expectations went up when Jack opened the door, but they went down again as they stepped inside. The rather big room was very hot and only dimly lit. It was hard to make out the faces of people a few metres away. The air was sticky and there was a smell of alcohol everywhere. Especially from people's breaths. In one corner the people around a table were singing, and in the opposite corner a fight was breaking out. It was stopped immediately by the landlord or someone else in charge of the place.

Jack seemed to be used to places like this and so did Belle. Catherine had almost forgotten what they came from, and she had to admit she liked them better when she didn't think of the fact that they probably both enjoyed this.

"I hate these kinds of places!" Belle exclaimed and made Catherine smile a little. Okay, so maybe working in a tavern didn't always mean that you automatically liked it.

Catherine walked on not noticing that Jack wasn't by her side anymore. His eyes were stuck on something that she hadn't yet spotted.

A man with thin, gray hair grabbed Catherine's hand and forced her down onto his lap.

She screamed in surprise and tried to get away, but he was holding on to her and laughing.

"Let me go, you disgusting PIG!" She shouted and slapped his face. For a moment he looked astounded, and it was long enough for Catherine to break loose. 

"If you as much as touch her I swear I'm gonna…" It was Jack's voice. It was a little deeper than usually. He was by her side again, pointing his index finger at the man.

"Jack! Don't…" Catherine cut him off. The man looked rather scared, and though he was a pig he didn't look so scary anymore.

"Of course, Mr. Sparrow!" He said with a frightened look at Jack. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to harm yer lass."

"The name's Clarence. Not Sparrow." Jack said taking Catherine's hand.

"I could've sworn…Ye look just like 'im, mate!" The man said before he turned back to the table and gulped down a glass of brown liquid.

Catherine held on to Jack's hand, too surprised to speak.

"Come with me." He said with a nod in the opposite direction of the one Catherine had walked in. "My father's over here."

Catherine's heart beat a little faster and she didn't notice that she squeezed Jack's hand a little. He did, but he didn't say anything. He was very proud just to hold her hand when approaching his father. He knew she wasn't his, but he still felt kind of proud. At least his father might think he had found himself a girl, though he didn't know why he wanted him to think so.

"Catherine, luv!" Captain Sparrow said and beamed at Catherine. She let go of Jack's hand and blushed. "Sit down. And that goes fer ye too, son!"

He called him 'son'? Was he drunk?

Yes, Captain Sparrow was drunk. Or at least tipsy. He had been in Tortuga for a couple of hours and he didn't remember having been outside the tavern yet.

"But what are all of you guys doing here?" He asked after shouting at the poor wench that passed by. He wanted to treat all of his friends to rum.

"Looking for you." Elizabeth said and held forth the medallion. "Got an explanation for this?"

Captain Sparrow chuckled, and the vibrations it caused made the beads in his dreadlocks swing back and forth.

"Couldn't resist, luv." He finally said with a broad grin. "Ye mad at me?"

"Yes, I'm mad at you!" Elizabeth said trying to stay serious. Captain Sparrow looked at her with pleading puppy eyes, and Catherine knew _she_ wouldn't be able to be mad at him if he gave _her_ that look.

"Admit it. You're too fond of me to be really mad at me!" The Captain said still smiling.

"You stupid, silly, half-witted, daft…PIRATE!" Elizabeth exclaimed but couldn't hold back the laughter. "You scared the hell out of me, there!"

"Liz!" Catherine exclaimed not used to hearing her friend use so strong words.

"Come on, Cathy! We're in a tavern in Tortuga and it's packed with pirates, and you still care about my language?"

"Sorry." Catherine mumbled and looked down. Elizabeth was right. This wasn't exactly the place to play a lady.

"So, what brings _you_ here, Cathy?" Captain Sparrow asked, but he didn't look at her. He looked straight at Jack, and he was quite a lot more serious than he had been just a moment ago.

"It was her idea to go search for you in the first place." Jack said and looked back at his father. "She overheard her father and the Commodore speaking about catching you."

Captain Sparrow broke into laughter again, but this time no one laughed with him.

"What? Why do ye all look so grave?" He said and took the bottle of rum that the wench had finally brought. Just when he was about to take a wig he seemed to change his mind. "Honestly? What's gotten into you? You look as if you've seen a ghost or something. Or is it just one of Barbossa's men?" He laughed again and gulped down some of the brown liqueur.

"Jack, this time he wants to kill you. For real!" Belle said and looked seriously at her once so dear friend.

"Lots of people want to kill me. Who are ye talking about?"

"Commodore Norrington." Will said and made Catherine shiver. The man who had asked her to marry him, wanted to kill the man she loved. She couldn't possibly say yes to the Commodore, could she? She'd hate him for the rest of her life if he did kill Captain Sparrow.

"The Commodore's tried to kill me before and may I remind you that he didn't succeed?" The pirate said with a proud grin on his face. "What makes it different this time?"

"But he's determined to hang you, no matter what it takes." Elizabeth said and took a sip of the rum Jack had poured into her glass.

Catherine took a sip of hers as well. She had never tasted alcohol before, but she didn't want anyone to think she was a chicken. The liquid burned all the way down her throat, but she still gulped down the rest an instant later.

Jack looked at her in mild surprise, but he didn't say anything. He just drank his own rum as well.

"I'm not afraid of the Commodore." The Captain said and leant back on the bench with his back against the wall. Belle was sitting next to him, and she looked as if she was about to lean back into his arms. Catherine felt weird inside, but she couldn't tell whether it was because of the rum or because she remembered what Belle had revealed about her and the Captain's past.

Soon it was dark outside, and when looking out the small windows of the tavern all that could be seen was a black darkness threatening to break through the glass and come inside to surround the small group of friends. Only Catherine noticed this, as she kept drinking rum and not enjoying herself. The others drank rum as well, but they had a good time. Catherine kept thinking about Captain Sparrow and his nice, comforting eyes. Whenever he looked at her, she would feel warm and safe. Just like she always did when Jack looked at her.

After a couple of hours of nothing but rum and funny tales from everyone around the table, Captain Sparrow got up from the bench and stretched his legs.

"Where are you going?" Catherine asked and regretted immediately. It was the rum talking. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. Elizabeth shot her a sharp look, but she pretended not to notice.

Captain Sparrow chuckled. "Wanna come, luv?"

He left to go outside, and though Catherine wanted to follow him, she knew very well that she shouldn't. He hadn't meant it. He had only tried to tease her. 

It _was _very tempting, though. Her thoughts ran wildly around inside her head as did the alcohol in her blood. She could just go have a little look outside. Not because she wanted to follow the Captain, but she needed some fresh air, didn't she? 

She rose from her seat and ignored the stares from both Elizabeth and Jack. It was none of their business, what she did, and she didn't care what they thought.

"Captain Sparrow?" Catherine asked as soon as she got outside. She couldn't see him anywhere, and like all of a sudden she felt scared. There were lots of people out there, but none of them were her kind. They were a lot more violent and drunk. She wasn't really aware of the fact that she, too, was drunk.

The Captain didn't reply, and so Catherine walked a little away from the tavern to go look for him.

Two men stopped fighting when they saw the young lady walking alone, and one of them approached her.

"Wanna come 'ome with me, lass?" He asked with a smirk and grabbed her hand.

Cathrine screamed and immediately she understood that no one she knew would hear her here. She had left the safe of having Jack by her side. It was her own fault.

"Leave me alone!" She cried and tears started running down her face as the man held her close and tried to kiss her.

"You wish!" The man said and widened his grin. Catherine looked frightened at the rotten teeth in the mouth that was trying to kiss her.

"You heard the lady!" A deep voice sneered from the dark in the alley they were standing by. Someone pointed a sword at the man's throat, and he let go of Catherine.

"Jack!" She exclaimed and flung herself into Captain Sparrow's arms.

"I was wondering when ye'd start calling me by me first name, luv!" He said and smiled mock-politely at the man backing away warily and then starting to run.

"I… You… You sounded like Jack!" Catherine said embarrassed but didn't moved away from his arms.

"I _am _Jack!" The pirate chuckled self-satisfied.

Catherine didn't reply, but the rum was doing its job inside her head and so she suddenly found herself staring longingly into the Captain's big, dark, soft eyes. Without thinking about what she was doing she moved closer to him and placed a kiss, which was a little too passionate for a first kiss, on his lips. He didn't respond, and she couldn't read the expression on his face, as it was very dark in the alley. He didn't back away, though, so she kissed him again. This time he responded, but not the way Catherine would've liked him to. He took a firm grip of her shoulders and pushed her a little away.

"Hold on a little!" He exclaimed and looked intensely at her. If it hadn't been dark she would've seen the frown on his face. "Now what was that all about?"

"I love you, Captain Sparrow!" Catherine said and began crying. "And Elizabeth let me believe that you loved me too!"

"Eh… Huh?" The Captain said bewildered. He wasn't used to young girls throwing themselves at his feet, not to say tell him they loved him. "Look, Miss Winston. I'm only a pirate. And an old man, compared to you. And you…are a lady!" He said with a look on his face that expressed that he hated this. "And I'm not my son, if that's what you think. You ought to cut down on the rum consumption a little!"

"Your son? That's not at all what I think!" Catherine exclaimed offended and backed away from him. "I may be drunk, but I still know what I'm doing!"

The Captain sighed as Catherine ran back to the tavern, bumping into Belle on her way. "Good Heavens, Child! What's wrong?" She asked, but Catherine kept running instead of replying.

Jack was quite worried by the time Catherine came back. Tears were streaming down her face and she looked even more upset than she had done after speaking to the Commodore.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked and made her friend sit down next to her. Catherine didn't answer.

"Is there anything I can do, Miss Winston?" Jack asked and laid a comforting hand on her back. She looked him in the eyes for a split second before hiding her face in her hands again.

"No, I'm fine." She lied but failed tremendously to sound like she was fine.

"Did he do anything to you?" Jack asked with a frown and got up from his seat.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Catherine cried and gave Jack's heart an imaginative slap. Okay, so it was his father. He'd have to go tell him off. He'd fight him, if he had to. And if he had as much as touched her…!

~

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Jack shouted angrily at his father. Belle, who had been talking to the Captain, backed a little away.

"To who?" Captain Sparrow replied as if he had no idea what Jack was talking about.

"Catherine! She's totally dissolved in tears and she refuses to say a word about what you did to her!"

"I didn't do anything." The Captain replied calmly, though it was easy to tell he was very annoyed by being accused of something he hadn't done.

"Then why is she crying? If you as much as touched her, I swear I'm gonna kill you!" Jack threatened pointing his index finger at his father.

"Look, son…" The Captain sighed. "I did _not _touch her, and I know it hurts you to hear this, but the little lass that ye're so in love with kissed me and I didn't kiss her back. _That_ is why she's crying!"

Jack felt dizzy when hearing his father's words. It felt as if someone ripped out his heart and squeezed it tightly – so tightly that he couldn't even breathe. Catherine wasn't supposed to kiss his father. She was supposed to kiss him, and him only. Not his father, not the Commodore, not anyone. Anyone but him.

Jack went back to the tavern feeling very low. He looked at Catherine, but she avoided looking back at him. Her crying had ceased, but her eyes were still very red. He wanted so much to hold her and comfort her, but he didn't try. Instead he had another glass of rum, as did Catherine. No one spoke, and when Captain Sparrow and Belle returned after a while, it was to a party looking very gloomy. And Catherine had passed out.


	7. Feeling Differently

**Chapter Seven**

Catherine felt a slight pain in her head as she woke up. Whatever she was lying on was moving gently from side to side, but it made her feel nauseous. She opened her eyes a little, but closed them again immediately. The sun was shining too brightly today, and it felt as if it burned its way through her eyelids and onto her retina.

A small sound escaped her mouth as she tried to turn around and lie on the other side. Her head ached so viciously.

"'Morning!" Someone said cheerily, and Catherine recognized Will's shrill voice. Wait a minute! Will's voice wasn't normally that shrill, was it?

She turned around to face him and realized that the pain in her head was the reason why Will's voice had sounded so shrill. It was also the reason why the sun seemed to shine so brightly. In fact, it was a little cloudy today.

"Oh my…!" She said and put a hand to her forehead. "Did I pass out last night?"

"Ehm…Yes!" Will said with an amused smile. "Which was probably not such a bad idea. Think you had had enough rum already!"

Oh no! Catherine suddenly remembered what had happened shortly before she passed out. She had been so embarrassing. She had… She had kissed Captain Sparrow!

"Oh no!" She cried and hid her face in her hands. "Please tell me it was only a dream!"

"What was?"

"Oh. Nothing." Catherine said and hoped that if Will didn't know what had happened, then no one did.

"Is she awake?" Catherine heard Jack's voice from somewhere.

"Yeah. Not sure if she's dead or alive, though." Will replied cheerily and left Catherine. "Want me to take over?"

"Yes, please." Jack said, but Catherine couldn't hear what they were doing. 

They were just changing places. Jack had been standing by the rudder for a while, as they had been on the open sea, and it hadn't been so difficult to sail.

"How are you feeling today?" He said smilingly as he came over to her. "Got a head-ache?"

Catherine didn't reply but stared at him pretending to think he was an idiot.

"Don't worry; you're not the only one." He said and frowned as he put a hand to his head.

"Did you get too much rum too?" Catherine asked bewildered. She was sure she was the only one who had made a fool out of herself.

"Ehm… yeah, I'm afraid so." Jack admitted and sat down next to her. "And I said quite a lot of things that I shouldn't have said last night. You're not the only one."

"You know what I did?" Catherine asked with a face that turned pink in realization.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I'm the only one who knows and I wont' tell anyone."

"Oh no!" Catherine exclaimed feeling sorry for herself.

"What? You want me to tell people?"

"No. No, that's not what I meant. I just hoped no one would know. Least of all you." She said and looked away.

"Least of all me?" Jack said wonderingly. "I don't care. I don't think you're stupid or anything." He did care, but not the way she thought.

"Are you sure?" Catherine asked and sat up. The pain in her head was almost unbearable.

"Of course I'm sure. Why would I think you were stupid just because you…" He didn't finish his sentence but began a new one instead. "Hey, I did some quite stupid things myself that I'm not proud of, but it turned out to be alright."

"Like what?" Catherine asked with a little smile. "What could you possibly say that was stupid?" She had a hard time believing that the polite Jack Clarence would say or do anything that he hadn't first thought through thoroughly.

"Ah, you don't wanna know." Jack said and now it was his time to look away.

"Come on, Jack!" Catherine said not caring about the improperness of speaking his first name. "You know my secret. Now I wanna know yours!" She said with a teasing smile at him. His face turned a little pink and he didn't say anything for a long time.

"Well…" He finally began. "I kind of… Threatened my father!"

"Threatened him? Why?"

"Because…" He didn't really wanna say this, but she was obviously embarrassed because he knew she had kissed his father. He didn't want her to feel that way, and so he had to give her something back, to reveal something, so they would be square.

"Yes?"

"Because I thought he had… done something to you, laid hand on you or something, and I wanted to defend you!"

"That was really sweet of you, Jack." Catherine said and blushed. "That wasn't stupid at all."

"But I accused him of something he hadn't done. That's stupid." He said and breathed in. "And he didn't get mad at me. He forgave me immediately and called me 'son'."

"Well, that's what your father's like. He forgives the people who mean something to him, though they do stupid things. Just go ask Will!" She said the last part a little louder, and found out, just like she had expected, that he was listening.

"What did you just say?" They heard Will's voice from a distance.

"I said that you do a lot of stupid things!" Catherine shouted back frivolously.

"I know you're right." Jack said after a while. "He does forgive and forget. We talked a long time after you…passed out. He and I, I mean. It was really good talking to him. He even said that he was sorry he hadn't been there for me. I had no idea he could be serious."

"I had." Catherine said and watched Jack softly. He looked a little sad.

"Everybody knows him better than I do, isn't it ironic? I'm glad I went with you on this trip. It was good to get to know him a bit."

"I don't know him better than you do." Catherine admitted. "I just thought…" Her voice trailed off. "But I was wrong."

It felt as if a big rock had been removed from Jack's shoulders. Catherine had only thought she was in love with his father, but she wasn't in love for real. Wasn't that what she was saying?

"At least I know him a little better now." Jack said happily. "And from now on I'm gonna call him Papa. Can't wait to see the look on his face the first time I do so!" His own face darkened a little. "If I'll ever see him again."

"Of course you will." Catherine said and put a comforting hand on his arm. "Your father's not stupid. He won't let the Commodore catch him."

"I hope you're right." Jack replied and caressed the hand that was still lying on his arm. Catherine removed her hand immediately, but couldn't help but feeling a little warm inside. It felt as if a butterfly or two were rising by the touch of Jack's hand.

"Sorry." He mumbled and got up. "I'd better go help Will."

~

"Catherine, where in the world have you been!" It was the first thing she had heard when getting home that night. Her parents had been worried sick for her, and of course she understood. She just hadn't had the energy to listen while they scolded her or when they tried to cross-question her. Her brother, Robert, had watched from the doorway, looking very amused. Catherine knew him well enough to know that he hadn't been amused because her parents scolded her. He had been amused because she had run off from home and afterwards refused to tell where she had been.

In the end Catherine's father had grounded her, and she was not allowed to have any visitors at all.

She hadn't really cared. She had been tired and wanted to sleep, so she hadn't objected.

The next morning, however, she was beginning to think it a little boring to be locked in her room. She was daydreaming about the trip home to Port Royal, when somebody knocked on her door.

"Come in." She said and was glad she had dressed though she hadn't counted on any visitors.

It was only the maid.

"Your father wants you to come downstairs, Miss." She said and walked into the room. "Let me help you dress your hair."

"Why?" Catherine said a bit annoyed. "You wouldn't usually dress my hair just to send me downstairs." 

"Your father told me not to tell you…"

"Yes, but what is it?"

"There's a gentleman there waiting for you."

Catherine's spirits rose a little. Could it be Jack?

"It's the Commodore. He wants to speak to you."

"Oh." Catherine said disappointedly. That explained why her father let her have visitors.

~

"Commodore!" Catherine said and smiled as she entered the room they usually received their visitors in. Her hair was looking really well in spite of the fact that it had only taken the maid three and a half minutes to dress it.

"Cath… Miss Winston!" The Commodore replied and looked a little stunned.

Catherine noticed her father slipping out of the room without saying anything. She also knew he had already told the Commodore that she had accepted his offer. At least that was what she expected from him.

"I am so glad to see that you're safely back again." The Commodore said and smiled at Catherine. "So, did you find him?"

"No, we didn't." Catherine lied. "He's probably already far away."

"Well, if he is, then there's no need for me to chase him anymore, is there?"

"No there's not." Catherine replied in relief.

An awkward silence fell upon the two of them.

"Catherine…" The Commodore finally said. "Have you…thought about my proposal?"

"I have." She said and looked down. She still wasn't sure what answer to give. It was certain now that Captain Sparrow didn't want her. Would anyone ever want her again if she said no to the Commodore?

"And…?" The Commodore asked hopefully. 

"I…I think I…" Catherine said but the words stuck in her mouth.

The Commodore took her hands and looked so intensely at her that it was impossible to let him down. Still, she couldn't say the words.

"Catherine Winston, will you be my wife?" The Commodore pressed, still not removing his eyes from Catherine's.

"I…I will!" Catherine finally said and her eyes flickered. She smiled, though, as she saw the frown leave the Commodore's face and turn into quite a happy expression.

"My dearest Catherine, you actually frightened me there!" Commodore Norrington said and looked happy. Then he did something that Catherine hadn't quite been prepared for. He kissed her, and it was a very sweet and gentle kiss. Catherine had expected to feel differently about being kissed, though. She had expected to feel butterflies all over her stomach, and she had expected to feel dizzy. She felt none of the above. It actually felt like when she had kissed Captain Sparrow. Except this time she didn't start to cry.

"Let's go tell your father, shall we?" The Commodore asked and held her hand.

"He doesn't know?" Catherine asked perplexed.

"Not if you haven't told him, my dear." The Commodore smiled. "He told me he wasn't sure what you would say, and so scared me almost as much as you just did!"

~

Jack looked at the grave faces when Will and Elizabeth entered the smithy. He knew immediately that something bad had happened. Oh, please, don't let I be my father! Don't let him be caught by the Commodore! He prayed. 

"What is it?" He asked without as much as a nod for hello. He had put down the hammer in his hand as soon as he had seen the expression on their faces.

"What is?" Will tried to sound cheerful.

"What's wrong? You two are so easy to read. You've come with bad news. Is it my father?"

"No, it's not your father." Elizabeth said and smiled. "He's not that easy to kill!"

"Who's been killed?" Jack exclaimed scared.

"No one's been killed and no one has died." Will said with a little laugh. "It's really not that bad!"

Jack sighed with relief and took the hammer again.

"Catherine's getting married." Elizabeth broke the news. "To the Commodore."

Jack stiffened and the hammer fell out of his hand and onto his foot. Though it hurt he didn't notice. The pain inside of him was much stronger.

He sat down on the ground looking as if he was about to cry. He felt like it, but no tears came from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Elizabeth said and sat down next to him, though her dress would get dirty. She put an arm around him. "I had a feeling the news wouldn't suit you."

"Who cares?!" He exclaimed angrily and got to his feet again. "He's just an old, dirty prick who wants to take my father away and now…" He breathed in to avoid the tears from slipping through. He was a man, and a man didn't cry!

"He _won't _be taking your father away!" Will said and tried to calm Jack down. "And I'm sure he won't take away Catherine, either. She'll keep coming here and spending time with us."

"That's not enough!" Jack shouted and took down a sword from its hook.

"Jack! No!" Elizabeth yelled and tried to hold him back. Will did too, but the pain and frustration made Jack too strong for them, and so he walked out the door resolutely. It would be him and the Commodore now. Face to face, man against man!

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Mr. Clarence?" A voice stopped him. His heart was pounding wildly as he looked up. It was Catherine. Alone. No Commodore next to her. Her hair was dressed nicely and she looked exactly like the lady he knew she was. She was way too good for him.

"I…eh…no where." Jack said and tried to hide the sword behind him.

"You look kind of upset. Is anything wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. Just been practicing a little."

"Out here? In the street?" Catherine asked puzzled.

"No. Inside. Had to get some air afterwards."

"Oh." He obviously didn't want to talk about it, so Catherine changed the subject "I was just on my way to you."

"You were?" Jack asked. A feeling inside of him rose, though he had believed it to be dead.

"Yes… I…" Catherine looked away. "I wanted to tell you that… I've consented to be the Commodore's wife."

"Oh." Jack said hiding his true feelings. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." Catherine replied and looked at him. It wasn't the behaviour she had expected from him. She had expected at least a small sign of sorrow, but it wasn't there. In some way she had kind of hoped it would be there. At least now she knew that marrying the Commodore was the right thing to do. He was the only one who loved her, and he didn't make her believe things that weren't true.

"Well, I'm a bit busy." Jack said and turned around to go back. "Got a lot of work to do."

"Jack…" Catherine said and made him turn around to face her again. The look on his face was soft as his eyes found hers. She felt a little tickle inside.

"Yes?"

"I want you to be there. At the wedding. Would you do that for me?"

How could she ask him that? How could she ask him to be there when she gave the Commodore her 'yes'?

"Sure. I'll be there for you." He sighed and turned around again to go back. This time she didn't stop him. Something felt wrong about him leaving like that, but she didn't want him to know.

---

Sorry about the lack of Jack Sparrow in this chapter. He'll be back. I promise. No, honestly! He'll be back! And he'll be the one who… Nah, won't tell ya! You'll have to see for yourselves! 

Anyway, please review. All you have to do is press the small button to the left and scribble something. Good or bad, it's your decision – I'll be grateful for both!

~ Miss Sofie


	8. Frustrated

Okay, so finally a new chapter! I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but I haven't had any days off for a long time now and so I haven't had time to write. Furthermore, as you probably know by now, I have no internet access. From now on I should be able to update more frequently, though, with the Easter holidays coming up (and a lot of other days off for me, yay!) 

Thanks to anyone who's reviewed so far. I love reviews. At least most of them.

Read on and let me know what you think, though be gentle! Thanx!

~ Miss Sofie.

---

**Chapter Eight**

The next couple of weeks were quite busy for Catherine. Her parents insisted on her staying home to receive visits from Commodore Norrington at least once a day, and though they hadn't been formally engaged yet, the word had traveled through town with lightning speed that they had, after all, been engaged. Catherine's mother received more visitors in the shape of the town ladies than she normally did in several months. And all this happened because of that small "I will" that Catherine had spoken to the Commodore. She couldn't quite believe all the fuzz, and whenever she had the chance, she would escape the house and go see her friends. 

She hadn't seen much of Elizabeth and Will lately, not to say Jack. The few times she had been to the smithy, the Commodore had come with her. He liked to get to know her friends better, he said. Catherine hadn't asked to meet his friends yet, though maybe she should have.

Will and Jack hadn't spoken much to her lately, either, and she figured that Will was in quite an awkward situation, as he and the Commodore hadn't been on very good terms since Elizabeth chose Will to the Commodore. Why Jack was grumpy whenever she spoke to him, she couldn't quite understand. Except maybe, if he thought of the Commodore only as the evil man who wanted to kill his father. But he was much more than that. He was sweet and kind and sometimes even a bit funny, and he treated Catherine much better than she had expected. He hadn't kissed her since the day she had said yes to becoming his wife, and she was grateful for that. She still didn't know just what she'd do once they were married. She'd have to kiss him every day then. The thought kind of amused her. The Commodore? Kissing her every day the rest of their lives? If asked just one year ago she would have laughed at anyone who had said that it would be fact some day.

No matter how kind the Commodore was, there was just one thing that bothered Catherine. He insisted on her calling him by his first name, James, now. She had told him she'd rather wait till they were married, but he had insisted. 

So far she had avoided using his first name in front of other people, but she knew she couldn't keep doing that. It would seem strange, and Catherine didn't want to hurt her husband-to-be by letting him know she wasn't quite comfortable about marrying him after all, so she fulfilled his wish and called him 'James'.

~

Jack and Will were having a break when Belle and Elizabeth entered the smithy. Belle hadn't been able to find a place to work, as all the taverns had plenty of wenches and no one needed a hand anywhere. Especially not from someone who wasn't from Port Royal!

In the end Elizabeth and Will had offered Belle a job as their housekeeper, but she had said no at first. She didn't want them to offer her a job from pity, and she told Jack she'd rather starve than be given alms from anyone. He had rolled his eyes at this and told her she wasn't going to starve. The pay he got for his work was enough to feed both of them, but after a while Elizabeth had been able to convince Belle that they _did_ need a housekeeper, and so she had taken the job anyway – but only until she found something else to do!

Belle and Elizabeth had begun buying vegetables and fruit at the market every day, and on their way home they'd always stop by at the smithy with some kind of refreshment for the men. Today was no exception.

"Right on time!" Will said and smiled at the two ladies when they entered the forge. "What have you brought today?"

Belle showed him the wares from the market (she insisted on carrying the basket though Elizabeth said that her job didn't include carrying everything every day), and his hand dug in to take a peach.

"Looks good!" Jack said and hobbled over to them. His foot was still a bit sore from the incident when he lost the hammer onto it, though it was a few weeks ago already. He hadn't felt it then, but it had been pretty bad, and for a couple of days he hadn't been able to walk anywhere. He had done his job, but apart from that he had stayed in his bed feeling sorry for himself. Both because of the pain in his foot and because of the one inside him.

"What looks good?" A female voice said and Jack's heart beat a little faster as he looked up. It was Catherine's voice he had heard. She was standing in the doorway with red cheeks and a twinkle in her eye. She was obviously in a good mood.

"Just the… The…" Jack mumbled, but he didn't finish. As Catherine entered the room he saw that the Commodore was with her. As always. He never got a chance to speak to her alone anymore. Not that he had any idea what he'd say to her. He just wished he could have her all to himself. He'd tell her that… That… That she shouldn't marry the Commodore, but have _him_ instead!

Now he just looked down and kept silent.

"Good day!" The Commodore said with a smile that was way too happy for Jack's liking. "I see you have been to the market!"

How observant of him! Jack thought sarcastically and meddled with a small straw that he found on the ground. 

"James and I are on our way there." Catherine said and made Jack wince. She used his first name! Oh well, of course she did. She had used _his_, Jack's, first name once too. The sound of it had been much more pleasant in his ears.

He didn't hear what else they were talking about as he got lost in his own gloomy thoughts. 

He was snatched back to reality by a heavy knock on the door. Then a young soldier came barging into the smithy.

"Commodore!" He exclaimed through heavy breaths. He had obviously been running, and he looked very upset. "He's here! The pirate! In the water…I mean the ship…in the water…in the…outside the…port!"

"Calm down, Hansen." Commodore Norrington replied and laid a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Who is outside the port?"

"Sparrow, sir! _The Black Pearl_ is lurking around the point!"

Jack noticed the scared look that came on Catherine's face, though it had gone within a split second. Elizabeth and his mother looked tense, and Will's hand moved down to the sword he always carried with him. Not that he could defend him here anyway.

"I'm sorry, Catherine." The Commodore said and kissed her cheek. "I'm afraid we'll have to postpone our plans." And with that he and the young, agitated soldier left in a hurry.

"Oh my Goodness!" Belle exclaimed with a wild expression on her face. "He should've known better than to come here!"

"Maybe it's not him after all." Will said but he sounded neither convinced nor convincing.

"I always knew he was reckless, but this is downright stupid!" Elizabeth said and put the apple in her hand back into the basket.

"Did I hear someone say that I'm stupid?" A deep voice said and the five of them turned their faces upwards. Captain Sparrow was standing on a balk above them looking very amused and satisfied with himself. "What? Ye look like ye've seen…"

"…One of Barbossa's men!" Jack finished. "Yes, but why are you here?"

"Ain't a pirate allowed to see his son, now?" The Captain said and jumped off the balk and onto the ground.

"Is that why you're here?" Jack asked in disbelief. "Is that what you're risking your life for?" 

"Well…That and…" The pirate's eyes flickered for a moment. "And all the beautiful ladies here!" He added and waved his arm towards the women with a wide smile on his face.

Jack noticed that Catherine looked down. Her cheeks were a little pink, and she seemed uncomfortable. Oh, so she was still in love with his father, not the Commodore. That was why she blushed, and that was why she didn't always look so happy when she was with her fiancé.

"Jack, honestly!" Will said and gave the pirate a rather cold stare. "You ought not to be here. The Commodore and his men are all looking for you now. They saw _the __Pearl_!"

"Ah, but _the __Pearl_…" The pirate said speaking the last word painstakingly and with a pleased smile on his face. "…Is already on her way to a place that the soldiers know nothing about. I do, of course, and I'll meet up with her later. I just have some business to do here before I leave."

"What business?" Belle asked in a rather firm voice.

"Just…business!" Captain Sparrow ended the discussion. He smirked at Belle. "Maybe I'll tell ye about it later!"

With that he left the smithy with a furious Belle following him trying to make him talk.

~

Catherine was restless. She was restless because Captain Sparrow was in town and in danger of being killed, and she was restless because she hadn't had a chance to talk to Jack lately. She knew he must be upset because of all that had happened with his father, but she hadn't been able to talk to him about it. The Commodore had been with her all the time. Now that he, for once, wasn't here, she almost wished he were. At least it would have given her something to do. She hated the waiting.

After a little thinking she finally decided to go see her friends. Yes, it had only been a few hours since she left them, but she couldn't just stay at home with nothing to do when her fiancé and the man she had recently thought she loved were out there, probably trying to find and fight each other.

She knew now that she did not love Captain Sparrow. She had been embarrassed when seeing him again, but he hadn't passed any remarks on what had happened in Tortuga, and she was grateful for that. She hoped that she, in time, would be able to look him in the eyes again.

Right now, however, she would go see his son and Will Turner. Maybe Elizabeth would be there too. She hoped she would. The silence would be too awkward if she wouldn't. Jack hadn't said much lately, and she was a little afraid she wouldn't know what to say, if Elizabeth wasn't there. Anyway, she had to go somewhere.

Catherine pressed down the door knob and hesitated. She still wasn't sure whether to enter the smithy or not. She couldn't hear anyone talking inside, so Jack had to be alone. She could hear the sound of a hammer hitting metal, and if both Jack and Will had been there, they would've been talking.

The sound stopped.

"Come in!" She heard Jack shout, and so she did.

"Oh, it's you." Jack stated and began working again. He sounded somewhat disappointed.

"Yes, it's me." She said and closed the door behind her. "Were you expecting anyone else?"

Jack ignored her question.

"Are you alone?" He looked up. For a moment he looked kind of hopeful.

"Ehm…Yes." Catherine said and couldn't help staring at him. He was wearing a scarlet bandana and his eyes were lined with kohl. For a moment Catherine wasn't sure if she was looking at Jack Sparrow Junior or Senior.

"That's new." Jack said rudely and looked down again.

"Why are you…?" Catherine began. She was still staring at him wonderingly. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Like what? Like my father? Isn't a man allowed to dress like the one he looks up to?"

"Yes, but…"

"But what? Don't you like it? I thought you'd love it. I mean, you love my father, so I figured you'd love this outfit as well!"

"Is _that_ what this is all about?" Catherine asked with a feeling that something was terribly wrong. "You want to humiliate me because I thought I was in love with your father?" She backed towards the exit wanting to scream. She didn't. She just looked rather frightened at Jack.

"That's the last thing I would want to do." Jack sighed and put down the hammer carefully, so he wouldn't lose it onto his foot again. "I would never purposefully humiliate you."

"Then why? Why do you do it?"

"Do what, Miss Winston? Dress like him?"

Catherine nodded. She wished he would call her by her first name again.

"Don't you realize?"

"Realize what?" Catherine asked puzzled. "I know you're happy to have found him, but…"

"It's got nothing to do with him!" Jack exclaimed and hobbled a few steps towards Catherine. "It's you!"

"Me?" Catherine asked disbelievingly. What could his dressing like his father possibly have to do with her?

"I thought that…" Jack said and looked away. "That if I dressed like him then maybe you'd like me just a little. It's so obvious that you're in love with him, and then maybe you would at least like me again."

"Jack, you know I like you!" Catherine said and concentrated on breathing while she spoke. "And I'm not in love with your father. I thought I was, but I was stupid. It wasn't love. I realize that now. I just looked up to him. I still do."

"You don't love him?" Jack asked, the hope rising inside him. The he remembered something. "Oh, of course you won't admit that you do. You're set to marry the Commodore!"  
"For Goodness sake, Jack! What's gotten into you?" Catherine exclaimed annoyed. "I do _not _love you father and I never have. The Commodore's got nothing to do with it!"

"Oh, so are you saying that you don't love him either?" Jack replied harshly. He was close enough to touch her now, but she didn't back away.

"I never said that I loved him!" Catherine almost screamed. The she realized her mistake. No one was supposed to know that she had doubts about the wedding.

Jack looked at her in surprise. Then he took her hand.

"Then don't marry him!" He pleaded. His voice was soft now and so was the look in his eyes.

"I have to." Catherine said and felt the tears building up inside. She withdrew her hand. "I gave him my promise."

"Then break it! Promises can be broken!"

"Elizabeth already let him down once. I can't let him down too."

"So because of Elizabeth's mistake I'll have to suffer?!" Jack said surlier than he had meant to.

"No, you'll have to suffer because _I_ made a mistake." Catherine replied just as surly. "And I don't intend to make anyone else suffer by making another mistake!"

She turned around to leave, but Jack stopped her by taking her hand again. 

"Tell me you don't love me!" He said and looked intensely at her. "I'll let the Commodore have you if only you'll look me in the eyes and say you don't love me!"

Catherine looked up reluctantly. She wanted to look away, but she felt his gaze on her eyes.

"I don't…I…." She said and looked away.

"Look at me!" Jack said and held on to her hand.

She looked at him again.

"Alright, there was a time when I felt attracted to you!" She said and looked down again.

"Is that it? You're not attracted to me anymore because that old…because the Commodore asked you to marry him?"

"It's not that simple, Jack."

"It _is_ simple, Catherine. Do you love me, or don't you love me?"

"It's not fair!" Catherine cried and a tear ran down her cheek. "I won't let him down!"

Jack touched her chin with his hand and made her look at him again. His eyes were dark and soft, and Catherine noticed that they were a bit different from Captain Sparrow's. Jack's eyes were more tender and worried. They showed that he cared about her.

"It's so not fair!" Jack whispered and moved closer still holding her gaze.

Catherine closed her eyes and sighed. It took all the strength she had inside to resist kissing him, and when he was so close that she could feel his breath on her lips, she put a hand on his chest and pushed him away. Not violently, but firmly enough to let him know that he should stay away. 

"I won't let him down!" She repeated with tears in her eyes.

"Why did you come in the first place?" Jack exclaimed angrily and hobbled a little away. Then he shouted. "Why did you come? Why didn't you just stay away?!"

Catherine felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't take another look at Jack. She just ran outside leaving the door open behind her.

---

Ta-da! I never claimed I could write anything but soppy love stories! Hope you're not too disappointed. Anyway, you know what to do now… REVIEW, please! ;)


	9. The End

Hello fellow pirates!

When reading the next chapter, please bear in mind that I _stink_ a fight scenes! That's all. Enjoy!

~ Miss Sofie.

---

**Chapter Nine**

Catherine spent the next couple of days more or less alone at home. Her family was there, of course, but she felt alone. Even Robert's trying to cheer her up wouldn't help, and until recently the two of them had been almost as close as Catherine and Elizabeth. She realized she had neglected her brother terribly the past weeks.

The Commodore's visits were less and shorter than before. He and his men were trying to find out where Captain Sparrow hid. They had an idea that he was still in town, but Catherine never told him the few things she knew about the case. She didn't lie, either. She just kept quiet.

One day, when Commodore Norrington was on one of his short visits, a uniform clad man showed up asking for him. Catherine and the Commodore were sitting in the garden, having their tea, when he arrived.

"Commodore, can I have a word with you?" The soldier asked and the Commodore excused himself and got up to walk a little away with the man.

Catherine pretended not to be listening, but she had always had a good hearing, and so she couldn't help but take in every word that the two men said.

"What is it, Dennis?" The Commodore said.

"We've found him, sir. This time we have him caught up and he can't escape. The men are only waiting for your orders."

"Very well. Tell them not to do anything before I arrive. I want to have the pleasure of taking him to the gallows myself."

"Yes, sir."

"I shall be there in a minute. I just have to…" He looked at Catherine and the latter pretended to be watching the carriage that came up the avenue behind the two men.

"She shouldn't know about it. She seems to be very fond of the pirate, and…" Commodore Norrington stopped in the middle of his sentence. Catherine figured he'd realized his own mistake. It was not his place to talk about whom and what his fiancée was fond of. Least of all to a man who was below him.

"Well, can we expect you at Will Turner's forge, then, Commodore?"

"You can. I shall be right with you. Just see to it that Sparrow doesn't get away this time. The scoundrel seems to be very slippery!"

"I shall. Good day, Commodore!" The soldier said with a nod. He received one from the Commodore in return before he left.

"I'm afraid I shall have to leave you alone again, my dear." Commodore Norrington said when returning to Catherine. "It seems that I'm needed elsewhere. I apologize for my sudden departure, but I promise I shall make it up to you."

Catherine got up from her chair.

"No, please stay!" The Commodore said and kissed her cheek. "I shall be back soon."

"Okay." Catherine said, her mind already at the smithy. She had to go there. She had to get there before the Commodore. "Promise me that!"

She added the last part for the same reason as she had begun calling him 'James'. It was purely ornamental.

"I promise." James Norrington said with a serious look at Catherine. Then he left.

Catherine ran as fast as her small shoes would allow her to. She ran through other people's gardens and she crossed a corn field. A short while before she reached the smithy she slowed down. There were soldiers everywhere outside, and she did her best to breathe normally. She didn't want them to know she had been running. It was hard, though. She breathed heavily and her face felt warm.

The soldier, Dennis, who had come for the Commodore, was already there. Catherine wondered if he had taken the same route as she had.

"Miss Winston?!" He exclaimed. He didn't say, though, why he was surprised to see her there.

"What is going on here?" Catherine asked aware of the fact that Dennis had probably figured out that she had heard his conversation with the Commodore.

"Nothing that's fit for a lady to take part in." Another soldier said. Catherine recognized him as Gillette, the captain that the Commodore spoke very highly of.

"And why is that, Captain Gillette?" Catherine said furiously. It was not his fault, but she was beginning to think it all hopeless. Captain Sparrow would get caught, that was for sure.

"Because…" Gillette began seemingly not knowing whether to tell her or not. 

Catherine walked towards the door to the smithy.

"No, don't go in there, Miss!" Gillette said and placed himself between her and the door.

"I have friends in there, Captain Gillette…" Catherine said harshly. "…And if you do not let me in, I shall tell the Commodore that you refused to let me pass!"

"But… But it's for your own safety, Miss!" Gillette said but moved aside. "There's a dangerous pirate in there!"

"I hardly think Captain Sparrow is more dangerous than you and I, Captain!" Catherine said feeling bad for being so patronizing to Gillette. "He's just a man visiting his son. What's so dangerous about that?"

"But Miss!" Gillette said as she opened the door. "I hardly think the Commodore would appreciate you going in there!"

"Then it's good you're not the Commodore!" Catherine replied with a contrived smile before she closed the door behind her.

~

Jack started at the sound of the door being closed. Everyone's eyes turned to look at the intruder. Thank God, it was only Catherine.

"What are you doing here?" Belle's voice revealed that she was very upset.

"Trying to warn you." Catherine replied. She didn't look at Belle, though. She looked at Captain Sparrow.

"Do you know anything that we don't know?" Will asked. He, like everyone else (except for Captain Sparrow), looked very gloomy.

"Only that the Commodore's on his way here. He's told his men not to do anything until he arrives."

"Why don't you just tell him to send his men away?" Jack asked in a very rude tone. He didn't look at Catherine.

"Oh, you know very well that he won't listen to me – a woman – when it comes to catching pirates!" Catherine replied angrily.

Jack didn't reply. He was ashamed of himself, but he couldn't pretend that he was happy to see her, when it hurt so much. Especially as her fiancé tried to kill his father.

"Now, calm down, everyone!" Captain Sparrow said from the corner of the smithy. He was leaning his back against the wall, looking quite laid back. He was the only one who still smiled.

"What makes you so self-confident?" Elizabeth exclaimed. There was a sign of panic in her voice. "You know this place is surrounded, there's no way you can escape, and the gallows are waiting for you! How can you be so calm?"

"Relax, luv!" The Captain said with a smile. "There's no need to worry. I'll get away."

"But how?!" Catherine exclaimed almost in a shriek.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I'll think of something!"

The door burst open before anyone reached to reply to that.

"Jack Sparrow!" The Commodore exclaimed from the doorway. "I always knew you were not the smartest pirate alive, but I never expected you to…" The Commodore's voice trailed off as he noticed the figure a few feet away from the pirate.

"Catherine!" He exclaimed in astonishment. "How did you…? Why are you…?"

"On first names now, are we?" Captain Sparrow said sarcastically. "Have a thing for the lass?" He stepped over to Catherine drawing his sword. He didn't point it at her, though.

Commodore Norrington's eyes flickered for a moment.

"Put down that sword, Sparrow!" The Commodore commanded.

"What'd ye say to you and me, outside, Commodore?" Captain Sparrow asked emphasizing the last word. "If you have the courage to fight against a pirate, man against man!"

"And how do I know that you'll fight fairly? You're a pirate. Your word would hardly be enough!"

"Ouch! That hurt!" Captain Sparrow said mockingly. "But think about it. If I don't fight fairly, you'll have yer little soldiers to prevent me from killing you! Why would I risk that?"

"Alright, Sparrow!" The Commodore said coldly. "It's just you and me, then!"

Outside a lot of the people from the town had gathered to see what was going on with all the soldiers present. 

Jack watched as Catherine tried to persuade the Commodore not to go through with the fight.

"James, please don't do it!" She pleaded. The Commodore looked at her rather sternly, then her face turned mild.

"Catherine, my dear, you won't loose me. I promise you that!"

"Oh, so she's consented to become the future Mrs. Commodore, is it?" Captain Sparrow said cheerfully. "Ye know…that's kind of funny as it was only a few weeks ago she told me that she loved…"

"She told you _what_, Sparrow?" The Commodore interrupted annoyed.

Jack shot his father a cold stare, but he didn't see it. He looked at Catherine, who was looking menacingly back at him.

"Nothing. She didn't tell me anything." He said still very cheerful. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"Yes, that would be nice!" The Commodore replied with a fake smile at the pirate.

"Oh, by the way…" It was Captain Sparrow again.

"Yes?" The Commodore sounded even more annoyed than before, if possible.

"What's in it for me, if I win?"

"You will not win!"

"Ah, but _if_ I should win, Commodore? I mean, if you win, you'll have me dead and be happy. If I win, I'll have ye dead and yer little soldiers will kill me. Is that what you'd call fair?"

"Alright!" The Commodore sighed. Then he looked at Gillette. "_If _I should fall and Sparrow win – which is very unlikely – he's to be set free!"

"But Commodore!" Gillette exclaimed and the rest of the soldiers started mumbling something that sounded as if they were not exactly pleased with it.

"No buts, Gillette! It's an order!"

"Yes, sir." Gillette replied and the rest, both the soldiers and the civilians, grew silent again.

The Commodore began the fight by swinging his sword at Captain Sparrow before the latter knew the fight had started. He reached to ward it off, though he looked a little surprised.

"Fighting fairly, eh?" He hissed and made the Commodore go for his head. Again the pirate dodged the attack turning around swiftly and hitting the Commodore's sword with his own. Then he made a quick movement and the Commodore just avoided being hit in the side.

The two men looked intensely at each other for a few seconds, before they thrust their swords at each other at the same time. It resulted in their blades clashing together with a loud metallic sound that made a few people put their hands to their ears. 

Jack felt like looking away whenever the Commodore would almost hit his father, but he didn't. He kept watching, so he could rush to his father's aid if necessary.

He felt as if the fight went on for ages. It probably wasn't more than a few minutes, but it felt like a lifetime to Jack. Then, suddenly, the Commodore's blade hit his enemy's neck, cutting a couple of braids off the astounded pirate's head on its way. A loud murmur went through the crowd as blood trickled out from his neck, dripping to the ground.

Catherine and Elizabeth both let out a scream, and Jack and Will drew their swords. Belle froze.

Commodore Norrington, who was distracted by the girls' screaming, turned to look at them for a split second, and it was long enough for Captain Sparrow to regain his full consciousness and thrust his sword deep into the Commodore's chest. When the latter looked back at him blood was coming out his mouth. Captain Sparrow looked almost as surprised and shocked as the people around them, but it didn't prevent a couple of soldiers from grapping his arms and forcing him to let go of his sword as the Commodore fell to the ground.

Catherine rushed to the Commodore's side. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and Jack felt a strong pain inside. Not because she wanted to be by the Commodore's side, but because she, too, was obviously in a lot of pain.

"I'm sorry, Catherine." The Commodore said slowly. Blood was still emerging from his mouth. Then his eyes seemed to look at something in front of him that wasn't there. "I…I love you…" He whispered loud enough for most people to hear him. "…Elizabeth!" Then he lay still, his eyes wide open.

"Oh my God!" Catherine sobbed and hid her face in her hands. Jack rushed to her side, and so did Elizabeth.

Somewhere far away there was a lot of commotion as the soldiers wouldn't let Captain Sparrow go. Will and Belle were trying to make them let him go, but they refused.

"Let him go!" Catherine suddenly said removing her hands from her face. Her voice was calm and controlled, though tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "It was James' last wish that he should be set free!" She said and got up. "Let him go!"

"Miss Winston is right." Gillette said after a while. "The Commodore gave Sparrow his word. He would've wanted us to keep it for him."

The soldiers holding the pirate let go of him reluctantly, and he shook the last of their hands off with a shake of his shoulder. He didn't pass any frivolous remarks, though. He seemed quite serious and almost sad.

"I almost feel like he didn't deserve it!" He said and bent down to close the Commodore's eyes. Then he straightened up again. "I'm sorry, Catherine!"

---

Well, we're almost done here now. We only miss a few things to work out… Please review before you read the New Beginnings chappie! Thanx!


	10. And New Beginnings

Okay, so you've reached the final chapter. Impressing!

Thanks to anyone who's reviewed my story, and please take your time for a final review. And now… I'll leave you with the last chapter!

~ Miss Sofie.

---

**Chapter Ten**

Everyone felt with Catherine. The whole town seemed to feel with her. They felt with her because her husband-to-be had died from her, and they felt with her because his last "I love you" had been to another woman.

Catherine's parents were less strict on her than they had ever been, and her father suddenly seemed to have disliked the Commodore all of his life. 

Catherine didn't feel that way. She was, of course, sad because he had died. He had been a good man, and she had known him forever. She was also relieved. Not because of his death, but because he hadn't loved her. She didn't despise him for the fact that he hadn't. She hadn't loved him either. She didn't tell her parents this, though. They seemed to despise him for not having loved her after all, so she kept her feelings about it to herself and put on her black dress in the morning. She also wore a black veil, though her mother said that she didn't need to. They hadn't been married yet and the whole town knew that the Commodore's heart had belonged to Elizabeth. There was no need for Catherine to mourn the usual way.

She insisted, though, on showing him the respect she still thought he deserved. It was not his fault that he couldn't love her. She was sure he had tried, but no matter what she said, her parents kept despising the late James Norrington. She chose not to care about it. And she had to admit that she enjoyed that they let her do almost anything she wanted, just because they felt sorry for her.

~

Jack frowned at the open door to his and his mother's house. She wasn't supposed to be at home now, and the door was not supposed to be open.

His hand went down to where his sword would have been, if it had been there, but he had left it at the smithy. He hadn't thought he would need it today. Now he wished he had brought it.

He walked softly as he went inside. Every inch of his body was tense with excitement more than fright. It loosened up, though, as he saw his mother inside, stuffing some clothes into a trunk.

"Where are you going, Mama?" He asked with a puzzled look at his mother. She didn't seem to be in a hurry, but she _did_ seem to be going away.

"Jack! Sweetheart!" She said with a big smile. "We were just about to go see you!"

"We?" Jack asked still puzzled.

"Your father and I."

Jack looked behind his mother and saw the – by now – familiar person that was his father. The hair on the left side of his head was somewhat shorter than on the right. He had a gray bandage around his neck, which was slightly orange on the left side, where Commodore Norrington's blade had cut him.

"But where are you going?" Jack asked again. He wondered if his father was okay. The cut had been rather deep, according to his mother.

"The business I had to do in Port Royal is done." Captain Sparrow said and moved a little closer to Jack.

"What was your business? To kill the Commodore?" Jack asked in disbelief. His father had seemed frank when he said the Commodore didn't deserve to die.

"No, to fetch your mother!" Captain Sparrow said. He tipped his head a little to the right as he looked at his son. Then his face contracted in pain as the wound was stretched, and he straightened up his head again.

"What?" Jack asked still not getting it.

"I promised her I'd bring back _the Pearl_ for her, and that I have done!"

"Are you leaving, Mama?"

"Yes, but only for a short while. We'll be back for you soon. That is, if you want to come, of course." Belle replied pleadingly.

"But I've only just found out you're still alive, and now you're leaving?" Jack complained with a frustrated look at his father. What was he supposed to do? His parents left him, and the girl he had hoped to share his life with wouldn't talk to him because he had been a fool and said things he shouldn't have.

"But son!" Captain Sparrow said and laid his hand on Jack's shoulder. "You're a grown man, and you won't need us here anymore."

"I've always needed you, but you weren't there." Jack replied quietly.

Captain Sparrow sighed. Then he laid his free hand on Jack's free shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"I promise you that we will be back soon." He said with a small frown. Then the frown disappeared from his face. "Now that I've found you, I won't let the same thing happen to you as I let happen to your mother!"

"Okay." Jack replied and for some reason he believed him. It relieved him, and he began to feel happy about his parents being back together again. His mother _did_ deserve a little happiness in her life. He wouldn't be the one to deny her that after all the years she had spent on him.

There was a knock on the door and Belle left to go open it. When she came back she was followed by Catherine, clad in a black dress with a black veil hiding her face. She removed it, though, when she entered the room.

"Miss Winston!" Jack exclaimed at the sight of her. Even with the black veil she looked pretty and very, very beautiful. Her eyes looked a little sadder than Jack remembered, but she looked better than he had expected.

"Mr. Clarence." She replied and nodded courteously at him.

"It's good to see you looking so good, Miss Winston." Jack said nervously. He hadn't seen her since the Commodore had died, and now he didn't know what to say.

"Thank you." Catherine replied quietly not looking at him.

"Maybe the lass will move in with ye now that you've got no one to take care of ye!" Captain Sparrow said cheerfully with a nudge at Jack's shoulder.

Belle sent him a warning stare, but he didn't notice, as he was still laughing at his own remark.

"Shut up, Papa!" Jack hissed embarrassedly. Then he noticed his father's wide smile turn into a smaller, but more content smile.

"Anything for you, my son!" He said and dragged Belle with him out of the room. "I'll talk to ye soon!" He shouted before the two of them left Jack and Catherine alone.

"Is that the first time you've called him that?" Catherine asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes." Jack said. His face was pink and he had no idea where to look. In the end he looked at Catherine. She obviously didn't know where to look, either.

"Apparently he liked it." She said and looked at Jack. For a short moment they looked into each other's eyes. Then Jack looked away.

"I hope he did. So, how are you?"

"What did he mean by "You've got no one to take care of you"?" Catherine ignored his question.

"Mama's leaving with him. They still love each other, after all those years. Isn't it amazing?"

"Really?" Catherine said and lifted her gaze to Jack's. She smiled and sounded genuinely happy for them. "That's good news. The best I've had for a long time. They're so sweet together. Your father goes so soft whenever she's around!"

"Yes." Jack said and felt relieved. At least Catherine was over the thing with his father. "Won't you tell me how you're doing?" He then asked moving a little closer to her.

"I…" She said and looked away.

Oh no, was she going to cry? That hadn't been his intention.

"If you don't want to talk about it…"

"I'm so ashamed!" She finally said looking back into Jack's eyes.

"Ashamed? Why? You have nothing to be ashamed of!"

"I have. I haven't treated you very well, that's one thing. And the other thing is that I ought to feel sorry. I ought to be mourning, but the only thing I feel is relief!" She looked away again.

"You're not sorry for what happened to your…to the Commodore?"

"Yes, of course I feel sorry about that. He's always been very nice to me. I just don't feel like I'm mourning properly. I ought to."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's not your fault."

"Oh, and I'm sorry for telling you all this." Catherine said and began walking towards the door. "I shouldn't…"

"Miss Winston, please don't leave. I don't mind you talking about it." Jack said and grabbed her arm softly.

"Won't you, please, call me Catherine?" Catherine pleaded with eyes that were blank from tears. They didn't roll down her cheeks, though. They stayed in her eyes.

"There's nothing I'd rather do, Catherine." He said with a sigh of adrenaline. "Now, tell me what's on your mind."

"You see, though I'm sorry it had to end this way…" Catherine began looking into Jack's eyes. He was still holding her arm. "…I'm relieved that the Commodore said he loved Elizabeth. I know it's wrong, but people think it's okay for me not to mourn over him because of his last words to her. And it relieves me so much, because then people won't despise me if I don't dress like this for so long and if I see my friends and have fun and…" The tears had finally started tracing down her cheeks, and Jack dried a few of them off with his thumb.

"It's okay, Cathy." He said and pulled her near. She hid her face in his shirt, and the feeling of her head resting on his chest was more than enough to make his heart beat faster and take his breath away.

"I'm sorry, Jack!" She cried. He kept holding her close, caressing her back with his free hand to comfort her.

After a while her sobbing ceased and she looked up at him. He wanted so much to take her head in his hands and reach down to kiss her. He didn't. Though she didn't mourn as much as she felt she ought to, she was still wearing black. He had no right to soil her reputation by showing his emotions. He'd wait till she stopped wearing black, no matter how long it'd take. He'd wait forever for her, if necessary!

"Are you mad at me?" She asked after looking at him for a moment. 

"What? Mad at you? Why would I…?"

"Do you despise me now?"

"What? Why are you asking me that?" Jack said holding her a little away from him, though only to take a better look at her.

"Because I love you!" She sighed almost despairingly. "And I can't live if I know you despise me!"

Jack could tell from the blankness of her eyes that she was about to start crying again. Then, to his own surprise, he derided his own recent thoughts and gave in to his emotions. He took her head in his hands and made her look him in the eyes while moving closer. She didn't look away, but she closed her eyes as he moved so close that they could feel the warmth of each other's breaths. Then their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss that turned into a kind of explosion as their tongues met and played with each other. Butterflies seemed to be everywhere. Inside, outside and everywhere around them. 

As the long and passionate kiss had to come to and end, Catherine no longer had any doubts. This was what a kiss was supposed to be like. This was the real thing! 

Jack couldn't have agreed more!

~

"Now take good care of my mother!" Jack said and reached out his hand to his father. Belle and Captain Sparrow were about to board _the Black Pearl_, and Jack, Catherine, Will, and Elizabeth had come to say goodbye.

"Of course I'll take good care of her!" Captain Sparrow replied pretending to be offended. "What d'ye think I'd do?" Then he stepped a little closer to whisper something to Jack. "And if I didn't take care of her… I tell ye, she can take care of herself, if ye know what I mean!"

Jack gave a little laugh. Then he tugged his father in, giving him a big hug. The pirate clearly hadn't expected this, but after a few seconds the stiffness of his body loosened and he hugged Jack back.

"Alright, son. That'll do." He said and backed a little away. "We won't be gone for a very long time."

"Okay." Jack said with an amused smile. Then he let his father go and gave his mother a big hug. She obviously didn't want to start crying, but she did anyway.

"Oh, I'm not supposed to be doing this!" She said and dried away her tears with a handkerchief.

"Don't worry, Mama. I won't tell Papa!" Jack smiled and looked at the pirate who was already on his way towards the ship.

"Be a good boy and take care of Catherine, okay? And make sure not to let anyone know yet."

"I won't." Jack couldn't help but smile. He had never felt this happy before, though his parents were leaving.

Belle hurried after Captain Sparrow. Jack knew she hated goodbyes.

He took Catherine's hand and she squeezed his a bit when they watched _The Black Pearl_ leave the port. Will and Elizabeth knew about the two of them, though it was not official yet. It wouldn't be official until Catherine didn't mourn officially anymore. It would take a while, but Jack was content. She was his, no matter what other people thought, and that was enough for him.

For the first time in his life he had a mother, a father and a girlfriend, whom he loved, and who loved him back. Could anyone ask for more?

---

So that's it. Hope you liked it. I'm not gonna change it. Feels sooo good to finally get to write about something else than PotC. See you all soon, if you like Don Juan DeMarco stories! ;)

Oh, and please remember to review. Thanx! And thanks for reading this story to the end! I love you guys for that!

~ Miss Sofie.


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